David Jackson

USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — Disputing media reports that the Republican health care bill is in political trouble, President Trump said Friday he is "100% behind" the plan and is working with skeptical conservatives to fashion a replacement for Obamacare.

"We are going to have a health care plan that's second to none," Trump said during a meeting with a group of conservatives known as the Republican Study Committee, some of whom criticized the initial House proposal as too much like the Obama version.

Saying he is working on possible changes to the bill, Trump said of his GOP guests: "These folks were 'no's' yesterday, and now every single one is a 'yes.' "

Later in the day, in a joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Trump said, "It's all coming together ... it's coming together beautifully."

The president did not specify what kinds of changes to the bill he would back, but RSC Chairman Mark Walker, R-N.C. said the bill will be revised to include work requirements for able-bodied Medicaid recipients and to ensure tax credits cannot be used to fund abortions.

Getting members of the Republican Study Committee on board is not the last hurdle for the bill in the House.

The House Freedom Caucus, a group of a few dozen hardline conservatives with some overlap to the RSC, tweeted Friday morning that they still did not support the legislation.

“The House Freedom Caucus still opposes the GOP replacement bill in its current form,” the group tweeted.

The Freedom Caucus is expected to introduce an amendment Friday or early next week that they believe would be enough to get its members to “yes” on the current legislation while still satisfying moderate conservatives. If the amendment is not included in the final legislation, Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows, R-N.C., told reporters Wednesday that he believes there are enough votes to stop the bill from passing the House.

Freedom Caucus member Rep. Gary Palmer, R-Ala., was in the meeting with Trump on Friday. Just a day before, Palmer was one of three conservatives who voted against the legislation in its current form during a House Budget Committee markup. The bill ultimately moved forward narrowly, 19-17.

“I voted against the American Health Care Act in the House Budget Committee because, in my opinion, the underlying bill was not sufficient to address our healthcare crisis," Palmer said Friday. "The Trump Administration and Republican Leadership have since made a number of concessions that I believe would improve the bill, improvements that President Trump assured me he supports and that justify my support.”

Four Republican governors added their voices to the chorus of opposition to the bill Thursday, saying it fails to give them the flexibility or resources they need to adequately deal with the insurance needs of lower-income Americans.

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval said in a letter to congressional leaders they had been "encouraged" by statements made by the president that he would work with the governors to help address the "diverse needs" of Medicaid recipients, but the House bill "does not meet this test."

"It provides almost no new flexibility to the states, does not ensure the resources necessary to ensure no one is left out, and shifts significant costs to states," they wrote.

Several Senate Republicans have also criticized the plan. Some say it would deprive too many Americans of insurance, while others say it includes too many regulations reminiscent of Obamacare.

In brief remarks to reporters, Trump said part of the problem is that the "press has not been speaking properly about how great this (GOP plan) is going to be."

Read more:

Trump is 'helping bridge gaps' within GOP on health care bill, Paul Ryan says

Four Republican governors come out against Obamacare repeal plan

The first 100 days of the Trump presidency

Contributing: Eliza Collins