Ted Cruz has promised to repeal every word of the Affordable Care Act if elected president. | AP Cruz tangles with Iowa voter over Obamacare

Hubbard, Iowa -- Ted Cruz's attempt to hew to his anti-Obamacare talking points Saturday led to an uncomfortable exchange with a voter who said his brother-in-law -- who couldn't afford health insurance for most of his life -- finally gained it under the president's health law but died anyway because he discovered several tumors too late.

“He would have gotten it earlier, if he could have afforded it earlier, but because of government regulations he couldn’t,” Cruz asserted, while arguing that his health plan would lower costs.


The voter, on the verge of tears as he recounted his family member's death, pressed Cruz on the specifics of his plan.

“What are you going to replace it with?” the man said to Cruz, who has long called to repeal "every word" of Obamacare.

“Well, sir, I’m sorry for your family’s loss, I’m sorry for your wife’s loss,” he said. But, he continued, “Under Obamacare, millions of Americans have lost their jobs. Millions of Americans have lost their jobs, have been forced into part-time work. Millions of Americans have lost their health insurance, have lost their doctors, have seen their premiums skyrocket. That is happening all across this country.”

He went on to note that “President Obama promised the American people, he said, ‘if we pass Obamacare, the average family’s premiums will drop $2,500,’” but argued that instead they have risen for many, putting a strain on, for example, single mothers.

“I’ve joked, anyone whose premiums have dropped $2500 as President Obama promised should vote for Hillary Clinton,” Cruz continued. “I’ll take everybody else.”

Some in the largely conservative room laughed.

But the man, still upset, pressed, “My question is, what are you going to replace it with?”

Cruz proposed to allow health insurance to be purchased across state lines and expanding health savings accounts, boilerplate conservative solutions that have never gained traction at the federal level.

“I’m pointing out, there are millions who had health insurance, who liked their health insurance, and who have had it canceled because of Obamacare,” he said. “So there are millions of stories on the other side.”

He also stressed that everyone “wants to see more access,” and said the way to do it was to lower costs.

Though Cruz is correct that millions of people were forced off health plans in 2014, as the insurance industry phased out plans that failed to meet Obamacare coverage standards, most were eligible for new coverage options under the law, in some cases with federal subsidies available, so the impact of the cancellations is unclear. And far fewer cancellations were reported in 2015 and 2016.

Kyle Cheney reported from Arlington, Va.