Americans with pre-existing health conditions, no matter their political bent, have been concerned since Donald Trump’s election about the repeal and replacement of Obamacare. Will they ever be able to get insurance again if the current mandate for coverage goes away?

Related: A Post-Obamacare World: How Patients Will Benefit

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While there are many aspects of health care policy yet to be worked out, the current coverage of pre-existing conditions doesn’t appear negotiable, nor has it ever been for Trump — despite the mainstream media’s portrayal that this stance is somehow “new” and an indication he is wavering from previous promises to reform the health care system.

On Friday, Trump told The New York Times he would like to keep “two of the most popular benefits of the Affordable Care Act, one that forces insurers to cover people with pre-existing health conditions and another that allows parents to cover children under their plan into their mid-20s,” the publication reported.

And in Sunday night’s “60 Minutes” interview with Leslie Stahl, his first television interview since the election, Trump again reassured Americans these are two areas of Obamacare he intends to keep.

The desire and promise to do this, however, is nothing new.

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In a Feb. 18, 2016, CNN GOP Town Hall in South Carolina, ontheissues.org reported that Trump was asked:

Question: If Obamacare is repealed and there’s no mandate for everybody to have insurance, why would insurance companies insure somebody who has a pre-existing condition?
Trump: Well, I like the mandate. I don’t want people dying on the streets. The Republican people, they don’t want people dying on the streets, but sometimes they’ll say “Donald Trump wants single-payer.”

“He’s been crystal clear and quite firm regarding those with pre-existing conditions and adult children staying on policy,” said one physician.

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Question: Will people with pre-existing conditions be able to get insurance?
Trump: Yes. Now, the new plan is good. It’s going to be inexpensive. It’s going to be much better for the people at the bottom, people that don’t have any money. We’re going to take care of them through maybe concepts of Medicare. Now, some people would say, “That’s not a very Republican thing to say.” That’s not single-payer, by the way. That’s called heart. We gotta take care of people that can’t take care of themselves.

He gave similar answers during another debate in February on the eve of the Texas primary. In a response about repeal and replace, Trump said, “I agree with that 100 percent, except pre-existing conditions. I would absolutely get rid of Obamacare. I want to keep pre-existing conditions. It’s a modern age, and I think we have to have it.”

The ACA accomplished some important things, said Dr. Oskoui, a cardiologist in the Washington, D.C., area, CEO of Foxhall Cardiology PC, and a regular contributor to LifeZette: It allowed children to remain on their parents’ insurance until they were 26 years old, and it helped people with pre-existing conditions get access to health care.

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He told LifeZette previously that covering pre-existing conditions has three advantages: it’s the right thing to do, it looks good politically, and it reduces overall costs to the system. Patients with pre-existing conditions who can maintain regular visits with their doctors reduce the likelihood of catastrophic care down the line.

“He’s been crystal clear and quite firm regarding those with preexisting conditions and adult children staying on policy. This criticism is simply fear mongering. Preexisting conditions are a key part of Obamacare,” Oskoui said.

Related: It’s Not Too Soon to Start Overhauling Obamacare

The difference between Trump and the Democrats on health care, he added, is that Democrats have focused exclusively on coverage but have not addressed cost issues. “For those who are afraid — don’t be,” said Oskoui. “The pundits were wrong about so many things in this election and they are wrong once again.”