There were suggestions made by the GOP during the write up of this legislation.
The DNC wanted no part of it. They had the power and it was their way or no way.
If we could have taken our time and really negotiated a plan that worked for everyone, we could be in a much better place than this, "We must pass it so we know what's in it" bullshit.
That's not the way I recall it going down. I think Obama wanted something like Medicare for all and in the seemingly endless rounds of negotiations (which I thought the Dems were way more amenable to the Republicans than they needed to be) we got what we have now.
You don't remember the locked meeting rooms or the darkened chambers?
I'm sure the public was kept out of the negotiation process but no, I don't remember Republicans being excluded.