Trump Likely To Target Vulnerable Pillars Of Health Law, But Portions May Be Here To Stay
Republican leaders say they are going to "hit the ground running" to start dismantling what they can of the Affordable Care Act. But after six years, there are aspects of the law now baked into the industry that won't be easy to upend.
The New York Times:
Obama Calls For Unity, But Signature Acts Remain In Jeopardy
The White House acknowledged that Mr. Obama’s signature legislation, the Affordable Care Act, was in genuine jeopardy. Mr. Trump has vowed to repeal it as one of his first acts in office, and a Republican-controlled Congress will prod him to do so. Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary, said Mr. Obama would lobby Mr. Trump to keep it in place — an effort that suggests Mr. Obama believes that Mr. Trump can be persuaded on certain issues. (Landler and Davis, 11/9)
Kaiser Health News:
Obamacare ‘Replacement’ Might Look Familiar
The Affordable Care Act transformed the medical system, expanding coverage to millions, injecting billions in tax revenue, changing insurance rules and launching ambitious experiments in quality and efficiency. Less of that might disappear under President-elect Donald Trump’s pledge to “repeal and replace Obamacare” than many believe, say policy analysts. Republicans promising change might not quickly admit it, but in some respects Obamacare’s replacement may look something like the original. (Hancock and Luthra, 11/9)
The Wall Street Journal:
Donald Trump’s Pledge To Repeal Health Law Carries Risks
After six years, the health overhaul is largely implemented. The fourth open-enrollment period is currently under way and due to conclude Jan. 31. Many conservative health policy experts haven’t hid their disdain for Mr. Trump’s campaign, leaving open the question of who would provide the technical support for a dismantling effort. In particular, Mr. Trump’s repeal could face opposition from Republicans in states that expanded Medicaid, the federal-state health coverage for low-income people, and industry groups that heavily profit from the law. (Armour and Radnofsky, 11/9)
The Wall Street Journal:
Donald Trump And GOP Lawmakers Turn To Health-Law Overhaul
Without 60 votes in the Senate to get around procedural hurdles, Republicans couldn’t repeal the whole law in one shot but could take out pillars of it using a budget maneuver that requires only a simple majority. One target would be subsidies that blunt the cost of premiums for people who get coverage on the health law’s exchanges, said Timothy Jost, a professor at Washington and Lee University School of Law. Without a transition plan, 85% of exchange consumers who get subsidies would face the full cost of their premiums, prompting a major drop-off in participation. The employer mandate that requires many companies with 50 or more full-time workers to provide health insurance also would likely go. (Armour and Radnofsky, 11/9)
Politico:
Obamacare Defenders Vow 'Total War'
Shell-shocked Democrats on Capitol Hill are preparing to make a fight for Obamacare their top priority in the opening days of the Trump administration, with leading advocacy groups ready to wage “total war” to defend President Barack Obama’s universal health care program and his domestic policy legacy. "We've got the battle of our lifetime ahead of us,” Ron Pollack, executive director of advocacy group Families USA, said the day after Donald Trump was elected on a pledge to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which now the law that covers 22 million people. “We're going to have a huge number of organizations from all across the country that will participate in this effort." (Haberkorn and Demko, 11/10)
The Washington Post:
Obamacare’s Future In Critical Condition After Trump’s Victory
“The clock is ticking, because Republicans appear to be saying health care is going to be the first item on their list with repeal of the ACA being the banner for that,” said Ron Pollack, Families USA’s executive director for three decades. “This will be the most intense fight I remember. . . . One should never underestimate an extraordinary backlash that occurs when people have something that they really value and it is taken away.” (Goldstein, 11/9)