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Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, who is pushing a plan to replace the federal Affordable Care Act, Paul met with medical professionals at a Bowling Green hospital Monday to discuss his health care ideas.

Medical professionals gathered at TriStar Greenview Regional Hospital for an invitation only, town hall style meeting to hear details about Sen. Pauls replacement plan. The Bowling Green Republican is proposing a tax credit of up to $5,000 per person to use as part of a Health Savings Account. His plan would also remove the Affordable Care Acts mandate that every American get coverage.

Paul wants a replacement plan passed the same day Obamacare is repealed.

We do need to be thoughtful and think about how are we going to make a better system than what we have, Paul said.

Some of the top concerns by medical professionals at the town hall meeting included maintaining the Obamacare provision that those with pre-existing conditions not be denied coverage, and allowing patients to cross state lines and still be insured. Beth Bryant, cardiologist at Greenview, said a better plan to support all Kentuckians is needed.

Because currently Obamacare is failing in Kentucky, were going broke, and our patients arent being covered, Bryant said.

A Gallup poll shows Kentucky saw the second-highest drop in the number of uninsured residents after the ACA was implemented. And a University of Louisville study found the number of low-income Kentuckians without coverage dropped 68 percent in the first year of Kentuckys expanded Medicaid coverage.

Pauls plan would eliminate some of Obamacares protections of those with pre-existing conditions. The Bowling Green Senator is proposing a two-year window when those with pre-existing conditions could get insurance. After that, theyd only be protected if they continuously maintained coverage.

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Rand Paul Discusses Repeal and Replace With Medical Professionals - WKU Public Radio

Sen. Rand PaulRand PaulTrumps feud with the press in the spotlight Rand Paul: Were very lucky John McCains not in charge Rand Paul: John Bolton would be a 'bad choice' for national security adviser MORE (Ky.) ripped fellow Republican Sen. John McCainJohn McCainTrumps feud with the press in the spotlight Republicans play clean up on Trump's foreign policy Graham: Free press and independent judiciary are worth fighting for MORE (Ariz.) on Sunday after McCain criticized President Trumps escalating war of words with the media.

He argued that the nation is very lucky that Trump is president and not McCain, who won the 2008 GOP nomination but lost to Barack ObamaBarack ObamaTrump plays golf for third weekend in a row Former Defense chief: Trump's handling of national security 'dysfunctional' Priebus, Wallace clash over media coverage of Trump MORE in the general election.

Paul said that McCains recent criticisms of Trump are driven by his personal dispute with the president over foreign policy.

Everything that he says about the president is colored by his own personal dispute hes got running with President Trump, and it should be taken with a grain of salt, because John McCains the guy whos advocated for war everywhere, Paul said on ABCs This Week.

He would bankrupt the nation. Were very lucky John McCains not in charge, because I think wed be in perpetual war, Paul added.

McCain in an interview with NBCs Meet the Press warned that the suppression of a free press can lead to a dictatorial regime. He made the comments after Trump tweeted on Friday that the media is the enemy of the American people.

McCain has also harshly criticized Trumps expressed respect for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his suggestion earlier this month that the United States does not have the moral authority to criticize Russias human rights record.

Paul said there has no effort by the Trump administration to suppress the media, noting that no legislation has been offered to curb press freedoms.

Paul argued that McCain has a history of being wrong major foreign policy questions.

I would say John McCains been wrong on just about everything over the last four decades. He advocated for the Iraq War, which I think destabilized the Middle East, he said.

If you look at the map, theres probably at least six different countries where John McCain has advocated for us having boots on the ground, he added.

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Rand Paul: Were very lucky John McCains not in charge

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Sunday on ABCs This Week, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) addressed Sen. John McCains (R-AZ) criticism of the Trump administration.

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Partial transcript as follows:

KARL: And I think its fair to say that you are second to none in the Senate when it comes to fighting for civil liberties. So let me ask you about specifically what hes saying about the press. He is saying now that the news media is the enemy of the American people. Do you agree with that?

PAUL: Its not something that I would say. I would say that there is bias. And I think its fair to point out that there is bias in the media on both sides, both right and left. And that its very hard to find objective news because we have gotten, particularly as you watch cable news, its so dominated by opinion. And we are more polarized. And some of that comes from the people and some of that comes from the media. But I would say that I dont see in his criticism, somehow, people think that the separation of powers means that the president cant criticize the judiciary. No, it has nothing to do with that. Thats more sort of political sensibilities but has nothing to do with the Constitution or separation of powers. We dont like it when they see it sort of treads on things. But the separation of powers is about legislative powers. It isnt about discussion or words. So I would separate, once again, words from actual real legislative action. If someone tries to put limits on the press, Ill be the first one standing up for the right of press, left and right, to continue saying and being part of the discussion and forwarding the discussion.

KARL: What would you make of McCains statement that were creeping towards a situation where people are potentially supportive of dictatorship in this country? Is that over the top or is there a concern?

PAUL: I think Senator McCains perspective is colored by his disagreements with President Trump on foreign policy. If I were to look at foreign policy, I would say John McCain has been wrong on just about everything over the last four decades. He advocated for the Iraq War, which I think destabilized the Middle East. If you look at the map, theres probably at least six different countries where John McCain has advocated for having U.S. boots on the ground. John McCains complaint is were either not at war somewhere, or if were at war, we leave too soon. So were not there soon enough, and he wants us to stay forever wherever we send troops. So thats a foreign policy that is at odds with President Trump, and also the idea of engagement. The idea of foreign policy realism, I think, fits more neatly with President Trump. And with John McCain, the neoconservative label of lets make the world safe for democracy and were going to topple every regime hasnt worked. I mean, our intervention to destabilize the Assad regime has really made the chaos worse in Syria. And if you were to get rid of Assad today, I would actually worry about the 2 million Christians that are protected by Assad. So I think its more a foreign policy debate. And Trump and McCain are on opposite sides of that debate. And I tend to sympathize more with the president that we need to change. We dont need to continue to have regime change throughout the world, nation-building. Its expensive. And we dont have enough money to rebuild our own country if were rebuilding everyone elses countries.

KARL: But just to clarify, what McCain said specifically is dictators get started by limiting freedom of the press. I imagine you agree with that.

PAUL: Well, the thing is, is I dont agree with his analysis and applying that to the president. I havent seen any legislation coming forward that wants to limit the press. I see President Trump expressing his opinion, rather forceful in his own you know, his own distinct way. But I see no evidence that anybody is putting forward any kind of legislation to limit the press. So I think people you know, this is colored by John McCains disagreement with President Trump. It all is. Everything that he says about the president is colored by his own personal dispute he has got running with President Trump. And it should be taken with a grain of salt because John McCain is the guy that has advocated for war everywhere. He would bankrupt the nation. And actually were very lucky John McCain is not in charge because I think we would be in perpetual war.

Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN

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Rand Paul on McCain's Criticisms Of Trump: 'We're Very Lucky ...

John McCain isnt the only senator who can toss barbs at a fellow Republican.

After McCain on Sunday criticized President Trumps attitude toward the press, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul castigated the 2008 GOP presidential nominee, saying, were very lucky John McCains not in charge.

Everything that he says about the president is colored by his own personal dispute hes got running with President Trump, and it should be taken with a grain of salt, because John McCains the guy whos advocated for war everywhere, Paul said on This Week.

Paul added that if McCain were in charge the country would be in perpetual war.

If you look at the map, theres probably at least six different countries where John McCain has advocated for us having boots on the ground, said Paul, who noted that McCain supported the Iraq war.

McCain on Meet The Press had earlier compared Trump with whom hes long had myriad differences and squabbles to a dictator.

"The first thing that dictators do is shut down the press," McCain said. And I'm not saying that President Trump is trying to be a dictator. I'm just saying we need to learn the lessons of history.

But Paul said McCains issue with Trump is less about the First Amendment and more about the mens views on overseas engagements.

I think it's more a foreign policy debate, and Trump and McCain are on opposite sides of that debate, Paul said. And I tend to sympathize more with the president. We don't need to continue to have regime change throughout the world, nation-building.

As far as McCains rhetoric saying Trump is trying to shut down the press, Paul cautioned against hyperbole.

I don't agree with his analysis and applying that to the president, he said. I haven't seen any legislation coming forward that wants to limit the press. I see President Trump expressing his opinion, rather forceful in his own -- you know, his own distinct way.

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Rand Paul: US is 'lucky John McCain's not in charge' - Fox News

Sen. Rand Paul said President Trump has made "big progress" on the conservative agenda as the Kentucky Republican came to the defense of a 2016 presidential primary rival he once sharply criticized.

ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Jonathan Karl asked Paul on "This Week" on Sunday if he agrees with the president's recent remark that contrary to media reports, the new administration is running like a fine-tuned machine."

"Well, you know, beauty is in the eye of the beholder," the senator said. "And, from where I sit, we have done a lot of good things."

Paul ticked off accomplishments such as the repeal of a regulation on the coal industry that he said would have been "very, very damaging to my state." He also said the Republicans are "on schedule to repeal Obamacare. Big progress." And, he praised Trump's picks for his Cabinet and the Supreme Court.

"His Cabinet picks, from a conservative point of view, have exceeded my expectations. I think Scott Pruitt is going to be great at EPA. I think we're really going to do some conservative things," Paul said. I'm actually very, very pleased with where we are."

Karl pressed the Republican senator on Trump's credibility after he seemed to suggest at his campaign rally Saturday that there had been a recent terror attack in Sweden and he falsely claimed at a press conference Thursday that he had the biggest Electoral College win since Reagan.

"Isn't there a credibility question?" Karl asked.

Paul said, "You can analyze this administration" on two levels. "One, words and Twitter, another on actions. And I tend to look at the actions."

"Not everyone is perfect, but I think there's a lot of good things -- and we shouldn't lose sight of the good things from a conservative point of view of what's happening in Washington," Paul said.

As to the Affordable Care Act, Paul said the White House is still on board with his plan: Legislatively, I think we will repeal Obamacare within the next one to two months."

"There's a debate whether we repeal the whole thing," he said, explaining that "big-government Republicans want to keep 'Obamacare light," by retaining some of the law's provisions.

"The conservatives, we're ready for a fight. The House Freedom Caucus says they will not vote for partial repeal. I'm in the same camp. I'm not voting for partial repeal," Paul said.

The senator, once vaunted for his independent libertarian streak, also addressed speculation that he might be considering challenging Trump in the 2020 Republican presidential primary.

I have no intention of doing that, said Paul. My goal right now is to actually help [Trump]. He's the Republican president. He's doing a lot of things that conservatives are for, [that] I'm for."

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Sen. Rand Paul on Trump: 'Not everyone is perfect' - ABC News