7 Ways the Trump Administration Is Sabotaging Americans’ Health Care
Just over a year ago, we defeated a backward Trumpcare bill that would have raised health care costs for millions of Americans.
That 1:29 a.m. vote followed months of sustained advocacy from people all across the country who spoke out in their communities, on social media, and at the Capitol about what repealing the Affordable Care Act would mean for them and their loved ones. And while millions of people were relieved after that Trumpcare bill failed, the threat to health care continues.
After failing to pass health care repeal bills through Congress, President Trump has embarked on a sabotage campaign that has raised costs for consumers. And at the same that the President and Congressional Republicans have raised health care costs for hard-working Americans, they have given massive tax breaks to big pharma and insurance companies.
It’s been hard to keep up with the Trump Administration’s constant attacks on Americans’ health care, so here’s a quick refresher:
1) President Trump and his Administration issued a rule allowing junk insurance plans, which don’t have to offer the comprehensive coverage that other health insurance plans do. That means they don’t have to cover Essential Health Benefits such as maternity care, prescription drugs, and substance use disorder and mental health services.
2) When Republicans passed their partisan tax bill last year, they not only handed massive tax breaks to big pharmaceutical companies and insurance companies, but they also made changes to the health care system that a non-partisan estimate from the Congressional Budget Office found could increase health insurance premiums 10 percent per year and could lead to 13 million more Americans becoming uninsured in ten years.
3) The Trump Administration has stopped making what are known as “cost-sharing reduction” payments that help lower out-of-pocket costs such as deductibles and copays for individuals who get their health insurance through the marketplace.
4) The Administration has also specifically targeted women’s health care. While the Affordable Care Act guaranteed that insurance must cover certain preventative health care services at no cost, including birth control, the Trump Administration issued a rule to undermine this provision and allow more employers to deny women the birth control coverage that they need.
5) Having information about insurance options is critical to making an informed choice. This past open enrollment period, the Trump Administration slashed the budget for outreach and advertising, which helps inform people about their coverage options. The Administration also shortened the open enrollment period, giving people less time to shop around and get covered.
6) Health insurance “navigators” provide one-on-one assistance to guide people through the process of choosing a health insurance plan that works for them. Yet despite the important role they play in helping consumers, the Trump Administration has dramatically cut funding for this assistance over the past two years. Now, the Administration is also encouraging these in-person assistors to push people to sign up for junk insurance plans.
7) The Trump Administration is also targeting protections for people with pre-existing conditions. Recently, Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ Justice Department filed a brief in federal court arguing in support of taking away protections for people with pre-existing conditions. If the Justice Department’s legal argument wins, insurance companies could discriminate against those with pre-existing conditions — including cancer, diabetes, asthma, or even pregnancy — by charging them more for coverage.
These efforts are all raising health care costs and hurting millions of Americans.
We beat back the Trump Administration’s attempts to strip away health care before, and I urge everyone who has spoken out to continue sharing your stories. We can’t stop now. Together, we will fight these reckless efforts to attack Americans’ health care.
Help me fight back, tell your health care story here.
