webfact Posted October 12, 2017 Share Posted October 12, 2017 Frustrated by Congress, Trump signs order to weaken Obamacare By Yasmeen Abutaleb and Jeff Mason U.S. President Donald Trump smiles after signing an Executive Order to make it easier for Americans to buy bare-bone health insurance plans and circumvent Obamacare rules at the White House in Washington, U.S., October 12, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an order to make it easier for Americans to buy bare-bones health insurance plans, using his presidential powers to undermine Obamacare after fellow Republicans in Congress failed to repeal the 2010 law. Trump issued the executive order aimed at letting small businesses band together across state lines to buy cheaper, less regulated health plans for their employees with fewer benefits. Such new insurance options, however, may not be available until 2019, and the order could face legal challenges from Democratic state attorneys general. It was Trump's most concrete step to undo Obamacare since he took office in January promising to dismantle Democratic former President Barack Obama's signature domestic policy achievement. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer accused Trump of "using a wrecking ball to single-handedly rip apart our healthcare system." Republicans call Obamacare, which extended health insurance to 20 million people, a government intrusion into Americans' healthcare, and have been promising for seven years to scrap it. Trump's order aims to give people more access to cheaper plans, which do not cover essential health benefits such as maternity and newborn care, prescription drugs, and mental health and addiction treatment. Obamacare, known formally as the Affordable Care Act, requires most small business and individual health plans to cover those benefits. "DESTROYING EVERYTHING" "The cost of the Obamacare has been so outrageous, it is absolutely destroying everything in its wake," Trump said at a White House signing ceremony. Trump's order was aimed at making it easier for small businesses to join together as associations across state lines. Unlike large employers that can create their own health plans because their work forces are big enough to spread risk - mitigating the effect of individuals with serious illnesses - small employers have few options to offer reasonably priced health coverage. Allowing small employers to band together in associations is meant to give them options similar to larger companies. The White House also said the associations would give employers more leverage to negotiate with insurance companies in purchasing health insurance plans for employees. Some of the business groups that the order is aimed at, including franchise organizations and retailers - which generally have large number of hourly employees - said they are interested and want to be part of the rule-making process at the Department of Labor, but cautioned that there are many details to tackle. “It’s not something we’ll be able to open a suitcase tomorrow and be in business with. There are a lot of issues to be worked out and to consider,” said Neil Trautwein, vice president of health care policy at the National Retail Federation. A spokesman for the National Federation of Independent Business, the largest small-business association in the country, said it would be watching to see "how the regulatory architecture develops" and make a determination in the future. Small businesses have been among the biggest critics of Obamacare. The order also sought to change an Obama-era limit on the time span that people can use short-term health insurance plans, which are cheaper but cover few medical benefits. Those plans are currently limited to three months. Joseph Antos, a healthcare expert at the conservative American Enterprise Institute think tank, said he did not believe the order would have much of an impact because employers from regions with lower healthcare costs, like Iowa, would not want to join up with those from regions with higher costs. Experts also questioned whether Trump has the legal authority to expand association health plans. Democratic state attorneys general have said they will sue if Trump tries to destroy Obamacare. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said Trump's executive order is just another step towards imploding the Affordable Care Act. "It should come as no surprise that California is prepared to fight in court to protect affordable healthcare for its people," Becerra said. The association health plans could attract young, healthy people and leave a sicker, more expensive patient pool in the individual insurance markets created under Obamacare, driving up premiums. The American Hospital Association said Trump's order "could destabilise the individual and small group markets, leaving millions of Americans who need comprehensive coverage to manage chronic and other pre-existing conditions, as well as protection against unforeseen illness and injury, without affordable options." Small health insurers and state insurance regulators also criticized Trump's move. Hospital stocks edged lower in Thursday trading, with HCA Healthcare <HCA.N> down 1.7 percent and Tenet Healthcare <THC.N> down 4.4 percent. Medicaid insurers also fell with Centene <CNC.N> off 2.5 percent. Trump has taken a number of other steps to weaken or undermine Obamacare. He has not committed to making billions of dollars of payments to insurers guaranteed under Obamacare, prompting many to exit the individual market or hike premiums for 2018. The administration also halved the open enrollment period, which begins Nov. 1, slashed the Obamacare advertising and outreach budget, and allowed broad religious and moral exemptions to the law's mandate that employers provide coverage for women's birth control. (Reporting by Yasmeen Abutaleb; Additional reporting by Caroline Humer, Michael Erman, Jilian Mincer and Lewis Krauskopf in New York, Jeff Mason in Washington and Dan Levine in San Francisco; Writing by Alistair Bell; Editing by Will Dunham and Leslie Adler) -- © Copyright Reuters 2017-10-13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emster23 Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 lying scumbag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaidream Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 Trump knows nothing about governing nor developing a universal healthcare program for Americans. While Obamacare is nowhere near perfect- it is pure madness to undermine it with no reasonable and responsible program to replace it. Trump is reacting like a small child whose mother has said No. The Congress could not pass a healthcare replacement for Obamacare because the bill was flawed- it would have thrown more than 20 million people off the healthcare rolls. That is exactly why John McCain voted against it- poor legislation. If Trump had any sense or any real feeling for the American people he would recommend the expansion of Medicare to all Americans and thus provide universal healthcare. He won't do this because that would eliminate greedy insurance companies and Big Pharma who have screwed the American public for years. Trump is bough and paid for by the wealthy and will go down as the worst President ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rimbuman Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 Excellent!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilostmypassword Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 Trump to end key ACA subsidies, likely threatening marketplaces President Trump is throwing a bomb into the insurance marketplaces created under the Affordable Care Act, choosing to end critical payments to health insurers that help millions of lower-income Americans afford coverage. The decision coincides with an executive order on Thursday to allow alternative health plans that skirt the law’s requirements. The White House confirmed late Thursday that it would halt federal payments for cost-sharing reductions, although a statement did not specify when https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/trump-to-sign-executive-order-to-gut-aca-insurance-rules-and-undermine-marketplaces/2017/10/11/40abf774-ae97-11e7-9e58-e6288544af98_story.html Wow! It seems like the rageaholic has just exploded. I bet the people of W. Virginia are really happy now that they voted for Trump. That goes for those in Kentucky and similar locations, too that are heavily dependent on these subsidies. It also seems likely that he's going to scrap Nafta. Which means farmers, who went heavily for Trump. will also be mightily pleased. This is analagous to a mass shooter who end up turning the gun on himself. It really looks like Trump, electorally speaking, is doomed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OMGImInPattaya Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 There's more than one way to skin a cat...such a great President. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigt3365 Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 50 minutes ago, Rimbuman said: Excellent!!! You are aware many with existing health conditions will now be denied care. And you say Excellent!!! ?????? Strange.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenBravo Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 Malicious little man. Tired of winning, yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaidream Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 It is time for the 25th Amendment to be invoked and Trump removed from power- the Vice President and the Cabinet need to step up and do their job. Trump is mentally unstable- no person in their right mind would make the decisions he is making, Pure madness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OMGImInPattaya Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 52 minutes ago, ilostmypassword said: Trump to end key ACA subsidies, likely threatening marketplaces President Trump is throwing a bomb into the insurance marketplaces created under the Affordable Care Act, choosing to end critical payments to health insurers that help millions of lower-income Americans afford coverage. The decision coincides with an executive order on Thursday to allow alternative health plans that skirt the law’s requirements. The White House confirmed late Thursday that it would halt federal payments for cost-sharing reductions, although a statement did not specify when https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/trump-to-sign-executive-order-to-gut-aca-insurance-rules-and-undermine-marketplaces/2017/10/11/40abf774-ae97-11e7-9e58-e6288544af98_story.html Wow! It seems like the rageaholic has just exploded. I bet the people of W. Virginia are really happy now that they voted for Trump. That goes for those in Kentucky and similar locations, too that are heavily dependent on these subsidies. It also seems likely that he's going to scrap Nafta. Which means farmers, who went heavily for Trump. will also be mightily pleased. This is analagous to a mass shooter who end up turning the gun on himself. It really looks like Trump, electorally speaking, is doomed. Such a great man...Congress wouldn't do its job so the President will do it himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OMGImInPattaya Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 13 minutes ago, KarenBravo said: Malicious little man. Tired of winning, yet? The losses are for Democrat voters...and they're getting a belly full! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilostmypassword Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 10 minutes ago, OMGImInPattaya said: The losses are for Democrat voters...and they're getting a belly full! Sure. Let's see how all the poor white people who voted for Trump take to a massive cut in their health care. As some wise political observer noted, they took Trump seriously but not literally. Big mistake. Which they will rectify at the polls. Short of retracting his elimination of the subsidies, there's no way he can dodge that electoral bullet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigt3365 Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 17 minutes ago, OMGImInPattaya said: The losses are for Democrat voters...and they're getting a belly full! This is pure BS politics. It's got nothing to do with what's right and what's wrong. I think you'd be singing a different tune if you had health problems and were just now denied coverage. Like is happening to millions of Americans. Of all political persuasions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilostmypassword Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 1 hour ago, craigt3365 said: This is pure BS politics. It's got nothing to do with what's right and what's wrong. I think you'd be singing a different tune if you had health problems and were just now denied coverage. Like is happening to millions of Americans. Of all political persuasions. Soon it will be formerly "of all political persuasions." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OMGImInPattaya Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 1 hour ago, craigt3365 said: This is pure BS politics. It's got nothing to do with what's right and what's wrong. I think you'd be singing a different tune if you had health problems and were just now denied coverage. Like is happening to millions of Americans. Of all political persuasions. Nobody is being denied coverage...get your facts straight. As for the insurance subsidies Trump is doing away with, the courts have already Obama acted illegally when he provided them (no suprise there) so the President is just complying with a court decision. Isn't that what president is supposed to do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OMGImInPattaya Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 1 hour ago, ilostmypassword said: Sure. Let's see how all the poor white people who voted for Trump take to a massive cut in their health care. As some wise political observer noted, they took Trump seriously but not literally. Big mistake. Which they will rectify at the polls. Short of retracting his elimination of the subsidies, there's no way he can dodge that electoral bullet. Funny I recall hearing the same silly arguments before the election too...how did that turn out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilostmypassword Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 Just now, OMGImInPattaya said: Funny I recall hearing the same silly arguments before the election too...how did that turn out? As I recall, Trump promised to provide better benefits at a lower price for everyone. How did that turn out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OMGImInPattaya Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 6 minutes ago, ilostmypassword said: As I recall, Trump promised to provide better benefits at a lower price for everyone. How did that turn out? He would have if the Democrat Party in Congress didn't block him. That's why he's now acting on his own and going around their obstructionism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilostmypassword Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 Just now, OMGImInPattaya said: He would have if the Democrat Party in Congress didn't block him. That's why he's now acting on his own and going around their obstructionism. The health care reform proposal from the GOP was massively unpopular with the American public. Of course, the Republicans legislators had the sense to delay by a bit the parts that would have hurt people. Now Trump has foolishly put the damage up front. I will take a page from you and do my mind-reading act: Trump is so enraged and out of control that he took this step out of spite and frustration. Remember, it's those rural white Trump voters who will disproportionately suffer for what Trump is doing here. It's one thing not to fulfill your promises. It's quite another to do big damage to the people who support you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigt3365 Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 11 minutes ago, OMGImInPattaya said: Nobody is being denied coverage...get your facts straight. As for the insurance subsidies Trump is doing away with, the courts have already Obama acted illegally when he provided them (no suprise there) so the President is just complying with a court decision. Isn't that what president is supposed to do? Really? Tell that to my friend in Michigan who can't renew his health insurance policy due to this mess. You'll need to provide credible links for what you are saying. In the mean time, here's mine: https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/19/upshot/in-many-obamacare-markets-renewal-is-not-an-option.html Quote In Many Obamacare Markets, Renewal Is Not an Option http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-ends-obamacare-healthcare-subsidies-justice-department-health-human-services-a7997901.html Quote Several insurers have cited uncertainty over the payments in hiking premiums for 2018 or exiting insurance markets altogether. It's yet to be proven this "illegality" as stated by the White House. It's far from being vetted properly. Somewhat similar to the botched travel ban? LOL Such a loser. Messing around with people's lives due to politics. And his hate for Obama. A truly sick man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigt3365 Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 20 minutes ago, OMGImInPattaya said: Funny I recall hearing the same silly arguments before the election too...how did that turn out? Trump lost the popular vote. Remember? Anyway, that's from last year. Haven't Trump supporters moved on or is that all they've got to hold their hat on? LOL. Not much else, that's for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OMGImInPattaya Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 7 minutes ago, ilostmypassword said: The health care reform proposal from the GOP was massively unpopular with the American public. Of course, the Republicans legislators had the sense to delay by a bit the parts that would have hurt people. Now Trump has foolishly put the damage up front. I will take a page from you and do my mind-reading act: Trump is so enraged and out of control that he took this step out of spite and frustration. Remember, it's those rural white Trump voters who will disproportionately suffer for what Trump is doing here. It's one thing not to fulfill your promises. It's quite another to do big damage to the people who support you. Bye bye Obamacare! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilostmypassword Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 Just now, OMGImInPattaya said: Bye bye Obamacare! Maybe for now. But now that public sentiment overwhelmingly endorses universal healthcare, and given the debacle that will follow from Trump's amazingly politically inept move, it will be back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OMGImInPattaya Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 3 minutes ago, craigt3365 said: Really? Tell that to my friend in Michigan who can't renew his health insurance policy due to this mess. You'll need to provide credible links for what you are saying. In the mean time, here's mine: https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/19/upshot/in-many-obamacare-markets-renewal-is-not-an-option.html http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-ends-obamacare-healthcare-subsidies-justice-department-health-human-services-a7997901.html It's yet to be proven this "illegality" as stated by the White House. It's far from being vetted properly. Somewhat similar to the botched travel ban? LOL Such a loser. Messing around with people's lives due to politics. And his hate for Obama. A truly sick man. Well your friend can blame "Chuck and Nancy" for not working with the President to rationalize and improve the Affordable Care Act. He can also blame Obama and the Democrat Party for ramming through, under the darkness of the night, a healthcare overhall law without a single Republican vote (and hence no bipartisan support) that upended 1/4 of the American economy. If they had worked with the Republicans both parties would have a stake in the success of the ACA...as it is, there is none. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilostmypassword Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 3 minutes ago, OMGImInPattaya said: Well your friend can blame "Chuck and Nancy" for not working with the President to rationalize and improve the Affordable Care Act. He can also blame Obama and the Democrat Party for ramming through, under the darkness of the night, a healthcare overhall law without a single Republican vote (and hence no bipartisan support) that upended 1/4 of the American economy. If they had worked with the Republicans both parties would have a stake in the success of the ACA...as it is, there is none. First off, there was no working with the President to be done. Trump remained completely uninvolved with the creation of the Republican health care bill. All he did was cheerlead. And it's massively humorous to hear the democrats being accused of ramming through their health bill that took a year to create and had a huge amount of input. The Republicans were even criticized by their own members for the secrecy in which they created their monstrosity of a bill. A bill that the American public overwhelmingly disliked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigt3365 Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 16 minutes ago, OMGImInPattaya said: Well your friend can blame "Chuck and Nancy" for not working with the President to rationalize and improve the Affordable Care Act. He can also blame Obama and the Democrat Party for ramming through, under the darkness of the night, a healthcare overhall law without a single Republican vote (and hence no bipartisan support) that upended 1/4 of the American economy. If they had worked with the Republicans both parties would have a stake in the success of the ACA...as it is, there is none. BS. Blame a president that can't even get his own party to toe the line! LOL. Too funny. Republicans have been chasing this for years. Now, they are 100% in control of the government. And still can't get their act together. If it wasn't so sad, it'd be funny. But it's not. BS politics at it's worst. And thus, the below 20% approval rating for congress. Politics at it's worst. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riclag Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 (edited) 3 hours ago, craigt3365 said: You are aware many with existing health conditions will now be denied care. And you say Excellent!!! ?????? Strange.... Can you specifically quote reliable sources to your opinion other than Democratic ? Edited October 13, 2017 by riclag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigt3365 Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 5 minutes ago, riclag said: Can you specifically quote reliable sources to your opinion other than Democratic ? Vox has an excellent article on this. I'm an independent voter. Have been for decades. I think both major political parties have lost the plot. It's no longer about the people, just their bank accounts and getting re-elected. https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/10/12/16458184/trump-obamacare-executive-order-association-health-plans-short-term-insurance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riclag Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 Awesome. No more boarder line's .Now I don't have to go to Massachusetts to get In network Care.I can purchase HI anywhere in the USA especially in California where I live.It's about time. I was held prisoner to HI only available in my company plan's state of Massachusetts. Every two years I had to fly 3000 miles to get a physical and various test which I couldn't get free in California Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigt3365 Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 1 minute ago, riclag said: Awesome. No more boarder line's .Now I don't have to go to Massachusetts to get In network Care.I can purchase HI anywhere in the USA especially in California where I live.It's about time. I was held prisoner to HI only available in my company plan's state of Massachusetts. Every two years I had to fly 3000 miles to get a physical and various test which I couldn't get free in California This could have been accomplished with amendments to the ACA. Sadly, Trump is trying to kill off anything to do with Obama. Terrible. Iran is another example of Trump's "scorched earth" policy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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