If you meant "knowing that IT wouldn't happen" then, yes, I think he knew that, or at least strongly suspected.
Sure he knew it. He not only knew it, he had it structured that way. Obamacare was nothing more than a soft way to sell single payer government run healthcare to the public. Period. It was never about lowering costs. It was about controlling 1/5th of the economy.
It's a nice conspiracy theory but reality to me is the insurance companies bought and paid for him long ago and got what they wanted. Our prices go up and the government pays them for people who couldn't afford it before.
But it’s Trumps fault. Not over spending. https://www.yahoo.com/news/nancy-pelosi-chuck-schumer-vow-183726671.html