Mr Obama told CBS's 60 Minutes programme on Sunday that regardless of their efforts he had enough support to pass a far-reaching overhaul of a system that was leaking money like a sieve and leaves tens of millions Americans uninsured.
"I think right now you've got just a political environment where there are those in the Republican party who think the best thing to do is just to kill reform, that that will be good politics," he said.
"I believe that we will have enough votes to pass not just any health care bill, but a good health care bill that helps the American people, reduces costs, actually over the long-term controls our [budget] deficit."
Republicans say they oppose Mr Obama's reforms because they come with a hefty price tag of $900 billion and accuse Democrats of seeking a government takeover of health care.
But Mr Obama said, for many, the real agenda is simply to politically cripple his presidency by shooting down the reforms as they did the last time a young Democrat arrived in the White House with similar ideas - Bill Clinton.
"I think there're some who see this as a replay of 1993-94," he said.
"You know, young president comes in, proposes health care. It crashes and burns and then the Republicans use that to win back the House [of Representatives] in the subsequent election ... I think there are some people who are dusting off that play book."
Mr Obama reiterated a pledge to take full responsibility for the failure if his reforms do not put the brakes on the soaring costs of health insurance in America.
"You know, I intend to be president for a while and once this bill passes, I own it," he said.
"And if people look and say, 'You know what? This hasn't reduced my costs. My premiums are still going up 25 percent, insurance companies are still jerkin' me around,' I'm the one who's going to be held responsible."
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