The failure of the effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act in the Senate was a victory for millions of Americans.
But President Trump isn’t done playing politics with Americans’ health care. His latest ploy? Threatening to cancel the payments that help lower people’s deductibles and other out-of-pocket costs to sabotage the ACA and our health care system.
Trump’s timing couldn’t be worse. An April S&P Global Market Intelligence study found that the health insurance marketplace was stable barring any major ‘disruptions.’ Unfortunately, disrupting the marketplace is all President Trump has wanted to do since taking office.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the nation’s leading hospital and doctor’s organizations agree that Trump’s threats to withhold funding will increase premiums and could mean insurers will leave the market.
If Trump follows through on this threat, the results will be catastrophic. Consumers will be forced to pay the Trump Premium Tax to pay for Trump’s political games. Here’s a refresher on what’s at stake:
Premiums would increase by double digits. Insurers will continue to offer reduced plans, but consumers will have to make up the difference—increasing premiums by 19% on average and up to 25% in certain states. - Fewer insurance options would be offered. Some consumers may not have any coverage options as insurers will be forced to leave the marketplace, which would particularly hurt rural areas.
- It would cost the federal government billions more. The Kaiser Family Foundation estimates ending CSR payments would cost the federal government $2.3 billion more because as premiums increase, so does federal spending on premium tax credits.
The health care fight isn’t over. President Trump won’t stop until the ACA has been dismantled. Call your Senators and demand that they stand up for your health care.
