The Trump administration continues to dismantle the Affordable Care Act bit by bit, saying it favors expanding the market for affordable health insurance for consumers who want it. In reality, many of the changes, such as short-term polices, are simply undermining the market for comprehensive coverage. While those getting subsidizes are insulated for now, it’s the middle-class consumers, despite being hit with yearly premium hikes, who should be prepared to see even larger costs in 2019.
As Michael Hiltzik from the Los Angeles Times writes:
“Those fiscal geniuses in the White House and Republican-controlled Congress have managed to do the impossible: Their sabotage of the Affordable Care Act will lead to 6.4 million fewer Americans with health insurance, while the federal bill for coverage rises by some $33 billion per year.
Also, by the way, premiums in the individual market will rise by an average of more than 18%.”
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As an analysis by the Urban Institute notes, those affected by these large premium increases would be disproportionately middle-income people with health problems. They prefer health insurance that covers essential health benefits, are unlikely to have access to medically underwritten short-term limited-duration policies, and are not financially protected by the ACA’s premium tax credits, the report shows.
This does not take into account high deductibles. A 2017 Avalere analysis found that deductibles will climb in 2018 for the more popular plans, to an average of $3,937, up from $3,703 in 2015, and each following year they will increase. This trend was reportedly correlated with reducing premium costs. But instead, it is likely, because of the loosening of regulations, to increase premiums.
In an odd way, Trump’s march toward the ripping away what little healthcare is available for many consumers may get what he, and the GOP, are fighting to stop.
As Hiltzik ends with:
“The Republican sabotage will continue to undermine health coverage in the U.S. The only alternative, it becomes clearer with every day, is some form of single-payer, Medicare-for-all coverage. That’s increasingly becoming part of Democratic Party orthodoxy, and it’s about time.”
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