MTP EXCLUSIVES: HHS SEC. PRICE: “NOBODY WILL BE WORSE OFF FINANCIALLY” UNDER GOP PLAN, OHIO GOV. KASICH: TRUMP “VERY OPEN TO COMPROMISE” ON AHCA

PLUS: HHS Sec. Price: “Great opportunity to increase coverage over where we are right now” under new GOP healthcare plan

ALSO: Gov. Kasich confident AHCA will get to the Senate: “Where I hope they will make improvements”

SUNDAY EXCLUSIVE: Former HHS Sec. Sebelius: New GOP plan “does serious damage to the whole marketplace theory”

MARCH 12, 2017 — “Nobody will be worse off financially” under the Republican Party’s new healthcare bill once it’s enacted, said Health and Human Services Sec. Tom Price to “Meet the Press” moderator Chuck Todd this morning in an exclusive interview.

He continued: “We have a great opportunity to increase coverage over where we are right now.” Price also rejected recent criticism calling the plan “Obamacare Lite,” telling Todd “absolutely not.” Watch the full interview.

Former Health and Human Services Sec. Kathleen Sebelius exclusively joined the network broadcast, telling Todd that she’s “not exactly sure what the goal is” of the GOP’s proposed plan, also known as the American Health Care Act (AHCA). “This does serious damage to the whole marketplace theory,” she said. “Companies will flee given the uncertainty and the likelihood this quickly becomes a high risk pool.” Watch the full interview.

Gov. John Kasich (R-Ohio) exclusively told Todd that President Trump is “very open to compromise” on the AHCA and has “no doubt he’d be flexible.” Kasich said he believes the bill will get to the Senate, “and that’s where I hope they will make improvements.” Watch the full interview.

The New York Times’ David Brooks and Helene Cooper, Democratic strategist Stephanie Cutter and CNBC’s Rick Santelli joined this morning’s roundtable for additional insight and analysis, where they also discussed Trump’s takes on jobs reports before and after winning office.

Read the full transcript of this morning’s “Meet the Press.”

Heading to SXSW? Check out Chuck Todd discuss whether big data is destroying the U.S. political system with party strategists Cornell Belcher and Sara Fagen.

For more from moderator Chuck Todd throughout the week, watch MSNBC’s “MTP Daily” weekdays at 5 p.m., and subscribe to the “1947: The Meet The Press Podcast” for on-demand interviews.

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