THE White House has hosed down Donald Trump’s comments to Malcolm Turnbull that Australia has a better health care system, saying the president was merely being “complimentary’.

Mr Trump’s praise for the Australia’s system came as he met Mr Turnbull hours after the US House narrowly passed a bill to repeal parts of the Affordable Care Act, the health care law enacted by former US President Barack Obama.

Mr Trump described the US health system as failing, and added that “I shouldn’t say this to a great gentleman and my friend from Australia because you have better health care than we do.” He said the US would have “great” health care very soon.

Deputy White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Australia’s health care system was may not work in the US.

“The President was complimenting a foreign leader on the operations of their health care system and it didn’t mean anything more than that,” he said. “I think he believes that they have a good health care system for Australia. Again that is one of the biggest things that is wrong with ObamaCare, it has tried to be one size fits all and that is the opposite of what we are putting in place right now.”

“What works in Australia might not work in the United States so, again, he was complimenting the Prime Minister and we are focused on putting a health care plan in place that works here,” she said.

Trump says Australia's (single payer) health care system is better. @BernieSanders: "Thank you Mr. President" https://t.co/wuQHu8ilkW — All In w/Chris Hayes (@allinwithchris) May 5, 2017

Senator Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent who sought the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination, had a big laugh at Mr Trump’s comments after arguing strongly for a government-funded health care system.

“Yes, Mr. Trump, the Australian health care system is a lot better than ours and infinitely better than the disastrous bill you supported,” he tweeted.

Yes, Mr. Trump, the Australian health care system is a lot better than ours and infinitely better than the disastrous bill you supported. pic.twitter.com/SUtBRW8IKc — Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) May 5, 2017

Mr Trump returned to the health care issue Friday, tweeting that his “Big win in the House” was “very exciting!”

“But when everything comes together with the inclusion of Phase 2, we will have truly great healthcare!,” Mr Trump added in the tweet sent from his home on his private golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey.

Big win in the House - very exciting! But when everything comes together with the inclusion of Phase 2, we will have truly great healthcare! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 5, 2017

Mr Trump was likely referring to regulatory and other changes the administration can make to the Obama law. Mr Trump was spending an extended weekend at his central New Jersey home, about 64 kilometres west of New York.

“Rather than causing a big disruption in NYC, I will be working out of my home in Bedminster, N.J. this weekend. Also saves country money!” he tweeted.

Rather than causing a big disruption in N.Y.C., I will be working out of my home in Bedminster, N.J. this weekend. Also saves country money! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 5, 2017

The White House said he was holding meetings and making calls, but didn’t say with whom. Mr Trump also signed a $US1 trillion ($1.3 trillion) bill funding the government through September.

Mr Trump spent just a few hours in his New York City hometown on Thursday, but avoided his Trump Tower home, where security has been tightened and the costs for it have mounted since he became president.

He had not been back to the city since leaving for his January 20 inauguration.