search
Sections List
American Journal News

Trump is planning to strip people of health insurance with or without Congress

Republican attempts to repeal Obamacare have not gone as smoothly as they promised last November — or for the last seven years. The House, which passed its bill without waiting for a score from the Congressional Budget Office, may have to completely redo it, and the Senate is writing its own fresh bill amid a shroud […]

By Matthew Chapman - May 20, 2017
Share
GOP 2016 Trump

The House, which passed its bill without waiting for a score from the Congressional Budget Office, may have to completely redo it, and the Senate is writing its own fresh bill amid a shroud of secrecy.

But Donald Trump thinks he has found a way to kill Obamacare without any bill from Congress.

In a joint press conference with the president of Colombia, Trump gave a dark hint of what he is planning for insurance markets:

Obamacare is collapsing. It’s dead; it’s gone. There’s nothing to compare anything to because we don’t have health care in this country. You just look at what’s happening. Aetna just pulled out. Other insurance companies are pulling out. We don’t have healthcare. Obamacare is a fallacy. It’s gone. We need healthcare.

In fact, many insurers are pulling out of the exchanges because Trump is deliberately defunding them.

At issue are cost-sharing reduction payments. Insurers receive $7 billion annually to keep premiums down for low-income people in the individual markets. House Republicans filed a lawsuit alleging the payments were not legally appropriated, and Trump has told his advisers he wants to drop the government’s appeal of the ruling, effectively killing the payments.

This would be a disaster for millions of people. Without cost-sharing reduction, insurers would be forced to hike premiums considerably, or stop selling in certain markets entirely, which would affect even people who do not receive subsidies.

Some insurers are already warning if the subsidies stop, they will end Obamacare plans, including Anthem, which currently covers over 830,000 people in 14 states and is the only insurer in some rural areas, and Molina Healthcare, which could drop 700,000 members just this year.

In fact, the mere threat that subsidies might not continue has already caused several insurers to raise premiums.

Even Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price is advising Trump against killing the subsidies right now.

Meanwhile, in a joint letter, Blue Cross Blue Shield, the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association, the American Association of Family Physicians, the Federation of American Hospitals, the American Benefits Council, the insurer trade group AHIP, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce are all urging Congress to directly appropriate money for the subsidies so that Trump cannot end them.

Trump, who has floated the idea of sabotaging Obamacare before, believes he can destroy insurance markets and simply blame Democrats in Congress for creating the markets in the first place. However, a Kaiser Foundation poll shows 61 percent of voters, including 65 percent of independents, will blame Trump and Republicans in Congress if the exchanges created through Obamacare fail.

Obamacare has saved lives and provided 20 million people with coverage they had previously been denied. The idea of a president taking away medical and economic security for the poor and sick, just to score a cheap political win, is despicable. The American people cannot stand for Trump playing games with their lives.


AJ News
Subscribe to our newsletter.
Read More
AJ News
Latest
House Republicans roll out new plan to decimate Medicaid

House Republicans roll out new plan to decimate Medicaid

By Jesse Valentine - April 24, 2025
Trump White House plans to garnish wages of student loan borrowers

Trump White House plans to garnish wages of student loan borrowers

By Jesse Valentine - April 22, 2025
Megadonor embroiled in ethics scandal gave thousands to Winsome Earle-Sears

Megadonor embroiled in ethics scandal gave thousands to Winsome Earle-Sears

By Jesse Valentine - April 21, 2025
“I Was Terrified To Get Pregnant Again After Having to Flee Tennessee for a Life-Saving Abortion”

“I Was Terrified To Get Pregnant Again After Having to Flee Tennessee for a Life-Saving Abortion”

By Bonnie Fuller - April 21, 2025
Goldman Sachs: Trump’s tariffs will lead to job losses

Goldman Sachs: Trump’s tariffs will lead to job losses

By Jesse Valentine - April 17, 2025
Democrats take stand for wrongly deported Maryland man

Democrats take stand for wrongly deported Maryland man

By Jesse Valentine - April 16, 2025
North Carolina law would make it illegal for Democratic AG to sue Trump

North Carolina law would make it illegal for Democratic AG to sue Trump

By Jesse Valentine - April 11, 2025
Older Americans suffer under Republican slash and burn policies

Older Americans suffer under Republican slash and burn policies

By Jesse Valentine - April 09, 2025
Scott Brown got Trump’s tariff plans for New Zealand very wrong

Scott Brown got Trump’s tariff plans for New Zealand very wrong

By Jesse Valentine - April 08, 2025
Trump admin canceled Social Security contracts to punish Maine governor

Trump admin canceled Social Security contracts to punish Maine governor

By Jesse Valentine - April 03, 2025
Senate Republicans vote to eliminate cap on overdraft fees

Senate Republicans vote to eliminate cap on overdraft fees

By Jesse Valentine - April 03, 2025
Forced to carry a dying baby, this Texas mother of four says she didn’t think it could happen to her

Forced to carry a dying baby, this Texas mother of four says she didn’t think it could happen to her

By Bonnie Fuller - March 28, 2025
Despite pleas from women and doctors, Texas may implement even more abortion restrictions

Despite pleas from women and doctors, Texas may implement even more abortion restrictions

By Bonnie Fuller - March 28, 2025
Trump’s antiwar claims don’t hold up in leaked group chat

Trump’s antiwar claims don’t hold up in leaked group chat

By Jesse Valentine - March 28, 2025
Frontline Republican governors cheer on Department of Ed closure

Frontline Republican governors cheer on Department of Ed closure

By Jesse Valentine - March 26, 2025
GOP-led legislatures ramp up abortion restrictions

GOP-led legislatures ramp up abortion restrictions

By Jesse Valentine - March 18, 2025
HHS slashes vaccine research, amplifies misinformation

HHS slashes vaccine research, amplifies misinformation

By Jesse Valentine - March 11, 2025
Senate Republicans scrap consumer protections for payment apps

Senate Republicans scrap consumer protections for payment apps

By Jesse Valentine - March 10, 2025
Rep. Don Bacon admits he voted for Medicaid cuts

Rep. Don Bacon admits he voted for Medicaid cuts

By - February 28, 2025
Trump admin cracks down on affordable weight-loss treatments

Trump admin cracks down on affordable weight-loss treatments

By Jesse Valentine - February 27, 2025
Republican lawmakers are lying about Medicaid fraud

Republican lawmakers are lying about Medicaid fraud

By Jesse Valentine - February 26, 2025
Trump’s education pick: schools may lose funds for teaching Black history

Trump’s education pick: schools may lose funds for teaching Black history

By Jesse Valentine - February 13, 2025