Trump Administration Continues to Dismantle Obamacare
Two recent announcements by the Trump Administration are indications that the administration intends to continue to dismantle Obama era healthcare programs. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on Saturday said it was putting "on hold" its "risk adjustment" program in which it collects money from insurers with fewer high-cost plan members and transfers the funds to insurers with more high-need patients that require more expensive care.
Then, CMS announced this week it would cut grants to nonprofit organizations that help people obtain health insurance through Obamacare. The Administration is cutting funding to $10 million (down from $63 million in 2016), arguing that these organizations, referred to as insurance counselors or navigators, do not enroll enough people to justify current spending. In addition to reducing funding, the Administration is also changing the mission of the insurance counselors, which will be allowed to help people enroll in health insurance plans that do not comply with Obamacare standards, which the Administration says will increase flexibility and decrease costs.