While a Trump plan may help him make the case to voters in 2020 that he has an alternative to the ACA, it is unlikely that Congress will act to implement anything he proposes. (Photo: Shutterstock)
White House officials are preparing a health care plan for President Trump to unveil in the coming months.
Administration officials say the plan is not final. It will likely include ideas that have long been popular among Republicans, such as allowing health plans to operate across state lines, expanding health savings accounts and reduced requirements for insurance plans.
It may also propose providing funds to states to set up high-risk insurance pools for those with serious medical conditions. Such pools existed in many states before the Affordable Care Act barred insurers from denying coverage based on preexisting conditions.
Republicans are eager to show the president is doing something on health care. Not only are Democrats proposing a variety of ways to expand coverage –– notably Medicare for All –– but they have been accusing Republicans of trying to end coverage for millions through their efforts to thwart the Affordable Care Act, which is now more popular than ever.
The Trump administration’s support for a lawsuit that seeks to overturn the Affordable Care Act has put Republicans on the defensive on health care. If the lawsuit succeeds, millions could lose health coverage and insurers would once again be allowed to deny coverage to those based on their health.
Elizabeth Warren, in a debate in Detroit earlier this week, summarized the issue in blunt partisan terms: “We are the Democrats. We are not about trying to take away health care from anyone. That’s what the Republicans are trying to do.”
The lawsuit is being led by several Republican state attorneys general, who argue that the 2017 tax bill that eliminated the ACA’s individual mandate renders the rest of the law unconstitutional. A lower court surprised legal observers by ruling in favor of the attorneys general and two members of a three-judge appeals panel in early July signaled support for the lawsuit, although the panel has not yet ruled on the case.
While a Trump plan may help him make the case to voters in 2020 that he has an alternative to the ACA, it is unlikely that Congress will act to implement anything he proposes, since the House of Representatives is controlled by Democrats.
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