Healthcare industry panicking

[struggle4progress]

Michael Hiltzik

Organizations representing most of the healthcare industry — along with attorneys general from 15 states and the District of Columbia — took desperate steps Friday in a last-ditch attempt to keep President Trump from blowing up the Affordable Care Act ...

Monday is a crucial deadline. On that day, the Trump administration has to tell a federal appeals court whether it will continue to defend the ACA against a legal attack by the House of Representatives. Alternatively, the White House could seek a 90-day stay on the proceedings. The attorneys general are asking the court to allow them to take over the defense from the White House ...

... At the center of the case are the act’s cost-sharing reductions — subsidies covering deductibles and co-pays for individual buyers with income less than 250% of the federal poverty line.

The subsidies this year come to $7 billion, to be paid to insurers covering 7 million customers. The subsidies are authorized under the healthcare act, but House Republicans filed a lawsuit in 2014 asserting that because the money hadn’t been specifically appropriated, paying the money is illegal. They won the first round in U.S. District Court last year, but the judge stayed her ruling pending an appeals court decision ...

http://www.latimes.com/business/hiltzik/la-fi-hiltzik-trump-healthcare-20170519-story.html

[DK504]

1. Now they care about healthcare.

" ... the healthcare industry ... took desperate steps Friday in a last-ditch attempt to keep President Trump from blowing up the Affordable Care Act ... "

Maybe they should have stopped acting like 5 year old little punks ass cry babies and gotten serious about lining their profits when given this massive windfall they were handed. Instead they dropped out of the program and refused to work with the White House to improve the ACA. The economy was given another shot in the arm because of the ACA and the Repukes couldn't stand the black guy did such an amazing thing.

[Turbineguy]

2. Healthcare is almost 20 percent of the economy.

The republicans want to find out what happens when you fuck up 20 percent of the economy.

Maybe they should practice on something else first. Like Eggplant.

[Rollo]

3. Those cost sharing subsidies are great...

One of the best parts of the ACA, IMHO.

In part because anyone who is thrown out of work through no fault of their own, and is surviving on unemployment insurance benefits, likely qualifies for these cost sharing subsidies, in addition to subsidized monthly exchange health insurance. A friend of mine found herself in that situation in 2015, and her actual costs were more like those in 1992 than 2015.

I imagine these subsidies could also help those who retire early before becoming eligible for Medicare. A key provision is that fixed assets, such as savings, possessions, and retirement accounts, are not counted as income for the purpose of qualifying for subsidized cost sharing expenses.

And also those on minimum wage jobs, which would likely qualify them for cost sharing subsidies as well.

Although I'm sure the Republicans are keen to punish anyone who doesn't have high paying job, regardless of who it is. After all, they made the bad choice of not being born into wealth.

[bagelsforbreakfast]

4. I think something might happen Monday like Trump cutting the subsidies...

I've been alerted that my services might be needed by an insurer starting in June/July... I suspect if the subsidies are cut Molina will pull out immediately as they have previously said. I only hope the CBO and the uproar over Trump/GOP f*ckups causes a masive 2018 Democratic wave.

[Demtexan]

5. It was nice having insurance.

I wonder how many Trump voters will get hit.

A lot of hospitals will get hit.

[roamer65]

6. Hopefully more of them than Hillary voters.

I have to think it will because the rural hospitals will be the first to go belly up.

[Demtexan]

7. The little community hospitals and clinics.

I go to all in one type of clinic.
Everything under one roof.
Maybe this will be the way to get single payer finally.
I think even private insurance rates will go up.
It will get nasty.