Trump’s decision to stop making the ACA’s cost-sharing payments to help people get access to affordable healthcare will result in 1 million people losing their health insurance according to the CBO.
The statement released by the Department of Health and Human Services revealed the true motive for the decision was political, not policy:
It has been clear for many years that Obamacare is bad policy. It is also bad law. The Obama Administration unfortunately went ahead and made CSR payments to insurance companies after requesting – but never ultimately receiving – an appropriation from Congress as required by law. In 2014, the House of Representatives was forced to sue the previous Administration to stop this unconstitutional executive action. In 2016, a federal court ruled that the Administration had circumvented the appropriations process, and was unlawfully using unappropriated money to fund reimbursements due to insurers. After a thorough legal review by HHS, Treasury, OMB, and an opinion from the Attorney General, we believe that the last Administration overstepped the legal boundaries drawn by our Constitution. Congress has not appropriated money for CSRs, and we will discontinue these payments immediately.
The consequences of Trump’s actions will be devastating for millions:
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3/ CSR impact (CBO):
Consumers- 20% ⬆ï¸premiums
Public health- 1 mm ⬆ï¸uninsured
Taxpayers- $194 B ⬆ï¸in deficitThere are no winners here.
— Andy Slavitt (@ASlavitt) October 13, 2017
Since the insurance companies are already locked into offering the lower rates for 2018 to those who are eligible for subsidies, it will be those who bought their insurance in the marketplace but weren’t eligible for subsidies who will lose their coverage. Republicans are clearly trying to push these people into buying junk insurance plans like those that will be offered under Trump’s healthcare executive order.
Millions of Americans are now going to pay more for less or have no healthcare at all.
The deaths of thousands of people who will lose their lives due to inadequate health insurance will be on Trump’s hands.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
