Trump Threatens to Withhold Payments to Insurers to Press Democrats on Health Bill

[riversedge]

Source: WSJ







President Donald Trump in the oval office during an interview with The Wall Street Journal Photo:

April 12, 2017 4:44 p.m. ET


WASHINGTON—Almost three weeks after canceling a vote on his health-care package over infighting among his fellow Republicans and the opposition of the Democrats, President Donald Trump dug back into the fight on Wednesday, threatening to withhold payments to insurers to force Democrats to the negotiating table.

In an interview in the Oval Office, Mr. Trump said the White House may lack authority to make the payments established under his predecessor to reduce copayments and deductibles for some of the poorest customers who buy insurance under the 2010 Affordable Care Act. Cutting off the payments could trigger turmoil in insurance markets.

“I don’t want people to get hurt,” Mr. Trump said. “What I think should happen—and will happen—is the Democrats will start calling me and negotiating.”

In a 70-minute interview that touched on a range of foreign policy and domestic issues, Mr. Trump said he wouldn’t release any guidelines for a promised overhaul of the tax code until a health-care bill passes. He held out hope that Republicans could forge a new health-care law despite the failed previous effort and subsequent talks that didn’t yield a deal between the Freedom Caucus group of lawmakers and centrist Republicans..............

Read more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-threatens-to-withhold-payments-to-insurers-to-press-democrats-on-health-bill-

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Trump wants to do the health reform before tax reform. We have to stay motivated as the Repugs are determined to take ACA away.

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[50 Shades Of Blue]

1. FUCK!!!!!!!! HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[riversedge]

2. Not me!

[asiliveandbreathe]

5. Nuff said....+infinity..eom

[Sunlei]

13. It's more like "fuck Republicans", trump's their parties mouthpiece.

[Demtexan]

35. The whole point is to make Democrats the bad guys.

The blame will be put on the democratic members of Congress if they go along with it.

I can see the headlines now.

Democratics in Congress destroyed Obama Care.

[Volaris]

41. Bullshit. Call his bluff and let him own what happens.

This is a BLUFF it's the health care equivalent of shutting down the govt over the debt ceiling.
Fuck him. Dems don't you negotiate SHIT if hes gonna START with threats.

[Demtexan]

43. That is right.

Stand up to him.

He just wants the money for the tax cuts.

I wonder how many little babies would die.

I hate him.

[iluvtennis]

65. Agree. Call the bluff. Besides the majority of the payments are for red state folks

[busterbrown]

53. That aint gonna work..

Too many are now aware of how fucked up their plan was...
They made fools out of themselves at their Town Halls...

Plus Trump’s poll ratings are horrendous and they are only going to get worse.

Yea, only the few Dead End Trump Supporters will buy the Blame the Dems. Card

[barbtries]

3. he must be on drugs.

just for starters. who doesn't already know that the republicans have not engaged the democrats at all, for the simple reason they don't think they have to. that changed. so kiss their asses you motherfucker. stupid fucking threats that you cannot possibly act on -and if you did, it would be unconstitutional and piss off a LOT of people so much it would probably get you kicked out of office.

aargh. truthfully i don't know. can he actually pull a stunt like that?

[DK504]

33. He has to be high.

More and more illegal acts are coming from this WH since Nixon or maybe Reagan. He isn't allowed to tell HHS to with hold payments to anyone. WTF?

"He doesn't want anyone to get hurt....." No motherfucker this won't bring the Democrats to the table.

[Honeycombe8]

58. The govt removed the payments from the budget? nt

[Greg K]

4. Mob thug mentality. "Nice healthcare system you have here, be a shame if something happened to it"

[PsychoBabble]

15. Exactly. Might work ...

... in the biz world.

Welcome to governing, 45.

(oh, and you are BAD at it. SAD.)

[wryter2000]

6. One good thing

He won't get around to ruining Social Security until he's ruined health care first, and he doesn't seem to have enough Republicans to do the latter.

[ColemanMaskell]

63. My thought too. They're stuck in a loop from the last few years of repealing Obamacare endlessly.

Maybe they have such a habit of this approach that they won't get anything done. Just like they didn't get anything done for the last six years before. Only now they'll be obstructing themselves. Sounds great.

[Bleacher Creature]

7. Isn't this the textbook definition of "extortion"? nt

[riversedge]

27. Threats and bullying is the Trump way of 'negotiating"!!

[Lyricalinklines]

51. Yes! and why is this man able to get away with this tactic so often? eom

[world wide wally]

8. Apparently he thinks ALL money is his and he can stiff anyone HE wants to stiff

Just like he runs his busnesses

[Duppers]

26. Exactly!

He's truly delusional.

[Lyricalinklines]

50. Exactly what I was thinking! eom

[Freethinker65]

9. Call his bluff. No effing compromise.

The GOP/Trump is responsible for killing innocent hard working underpaid and now health insurance/care deprived Americans. His party is in complete control and can pass any damn plan he wants if they knew how to govern...no Democrats are needed...

[LAGC]

34. Exactly. NO collaborating with these bastards.

If Trump really wants to pull the rug out from under millions, then HE can do it himself, and he can own it. He can have his campaign promises shattered and everyone see who alone is responsible.

And Republicans can reap the consequences come the 2018 elections, and once again in 2020 when we clean sweep all these assholes OUT!!

[ATL Ebony]

48. Exactly.

That was BHO's final request to them -- don't fold. Let the rethugs FU and then own their mess. DON'T TOUCH IT DEMS.

Go try this shit with your own Repugs (Freedom Caucaus) and see if they bite -- we won't.

[Honeycombe8]

59. Compromise is good. But this is blackmail.

Compromise is not hurting anyone, but everyone comes to the table to discuss.

Blackmail is threatening to hurt you or someone else, unless you do something. That's what this is.

[RoadhogRidesAgain]

66. Wrong

Compromise isn't good when it's done with animals.

[Honeycombe8]

68. Governing requires compromise. If you have two parties and neither will compromise,

government can't govern. Bending, instead of waiting for the "perfect" on an issue, is required.

The points on which each side compromises, and how much, is critical, of course. You can't give up your basic principles. Example: Dems should not compromise on repealing the ACA. They CAN compromise on tweaking it, though. Republicans will have to compromise on insisting on repealing the ACA, if they want Dem cooperation. Because the ACA is a principle of the Democratic Party. Repealing a particular law is not a principle for the Republicans, though. As long as they get some money out of that law, that's all they really care about. IMO.

[RoadhogRidesAgain]

74. Compromise my ass

We don't need to compromise. A government doesn't need to "bend" to the will of a party full of racist wackjob fundanamentalist Christians who hate the government in order to work. We should work on working up our own voting base into a frenzy in order win the majority of congress votes and have a dem president. "Compromising" is the song of a coward and only works to downplay enthusiasm among our own voting base, especially with young voters. We won't win elections if young voters feel we will enable the extreme right wing that makes up the Republican Party these days.

What "tweaking" means for republicans is essentially gutting it. Any dem that compromises on that can be assured they will be in a primary.

[Honeycombe8]

75. I have Obamacare. It needs tweaking.

Obamacare (the exchange individual market) doesn't work for many. I'm one of them. It is horrible for me. It needs to be tweaked. IMO, it was failing to recognize this that caused many people to vote for Trump, who promised to repeal it, and in doing so, stated some of the criticisms of it that I personally experienced. I knew he was lying, of course (besides being unfit for office). But he capitalized on a weakness.

But we'll have to agree to disagree. If you don't compromise, then you obstruct. Which is what the Republicans did for 8 years, and you are saying that you approve of that. That hurts the country, our economy, and all ordinary Americans. Like it or not, it's necessary.

That doesn't mean you compromise on all issues or on any or all points. But compromise ALL legislators must. That's part of the way the system was set up by the founding fathers. To get a budget passed, legislators must compromise.

The tea partiers won't compromise, and that is partly what makes them abhorrent. If you were around before the intense separation of the two parties, you experienced the compromising nature of our government. Republicans were more moderate and more apt to compromise, as were the Democrats. They each got some of what they wanted, and they remained friendly so they could discuss the issues.

There are bad compromises, though. The ACA is an example. The Dems accepted almost 200 Republican amendments while not getting anything in return. Not one Republican voted for it. That's not compromise. That's giving away the baby.

Activists don't compromise, of course. That's why they're activists. And they serve a vital function. But legislators can't be activists much, since they have to compromise to keep the government running. You choose your battles.

[sellitman]

85. Agreed

There is no such thing as compromise with these monsters.

[maxrandb]

93. Hope Democrats Get It

Unfortunately, some even here on DU seem to think that if a mugger has a gun to your head, giving up your wallet is "compromise"

[Bernardo de La Paz]

10. Extortion, Sabotage, Thuggery. tRump's technique to squeeze tens of thousand $ from NY contractors.

He thinks he can operate the same way now because it is the only trick he knows.

[SummerSnow]

11. When he doesn't get his way, he threatens.

[Sunlei]

12. what a dumbass. Insurance Corporations will DROP the PEOPLE if they don't get full premium payment.

[samnsara]

21. i think thats what he is counting on.

[regnaD kciN]

81. Definitely...

In his scenario, people will lose health insurance, and insist the Democrats get it back by agreeing to his proposed new system that causes people to...lose health insurance.

[Sunlei]

87. Republicans want to fuck up my monthly premium payment. The rules are late 2 months & they drop.

I use healthcareDOTgov (exchange set-up by ACA as consumer advocate)to select coverage and made the first payment through that website.

They'll call me if payment isn't on time and help me select new insurance, remind me of open enrollment and even help change a plan. They help me do my taxes, provide my IRS report form to balance payments with my yearly income.

I really like ACA, I wish Republicans would build on ACA and make small tweeks. Instead Republicans want to kill insurance coverage for millions of people.

That move by Republicans will also cost thousands of job losses in health care industry.

[ColemanMaskell]

67. Insurance companies COULD sue the gov't to collect what the gov't is obligated to pay.

and that would make more sense for them. If court orders gov't to pay and il presidente refuses, he'll be in contempt of court. Can take a long time though.

[kacekwl]

14. I think it's time for some more nationwide

marches. The weather is getting nice. Let's show this bully who is boss. Need to stop him in his tracks on this and Social Security and tax reform for the rich and Medicare and .......

[Silver Gaia]

31. There are nationwide marches already scheduled for Earth Day, April 22.

This is the March for Science. Healthcare involves science. It's appropriate! Google their website and look for your closest march.

I've already registered myself and the hubby and ordered t-shirts for our local march.

We need to get the word out there about this! Too many people don't even know it's happening!

[mwooldri]

16. If Trump does it, he owns it. eom

[Deb]

17. Leader of the GOP threatens Health Insurance stocks!!!! Sad!

Bigly nice pick there, wall street.

[msongs]

18. dems response - repubs have all the votes they need without dems help

[rurallib]

19. I dont want people to get hurt,

Sure he does - that's the way extortion works.

I would think voters would blame Republicans fully for anything that happened.
If Dems fall for this they are fucking idiots.

[Eliot Rosewater]

29. OK, so he kills a bunch of us and makes homeless millions of us.

Surely it is better than the private server woman!

[samnsara]

20. no compromise..we don't make deals with domestic terrorists!

[Equinox Moon]

22. Good grief! Hey trump, governing is different from corporate CEO.

[grantcart]

23. Now I get it

Trump is committed to 100% full employment for attorneys.

[japple]

24. Looks like that page no longer exists.

[ColemanMaskell]

83. The link posted seems to have been truncated. Here is the full url.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-threatens-to-withhold-payments-to-insurers-to-press-democrats-on-health-bill-1492029844

The numbers at the end seem to have been truncated from the originally posted link.

I googled the article title to find it.

Footnote:
However, the WSJ blocks you from reading the full article if you are not a subscriber.

[bucolic_frolic]

25. Using the poor as pawns in his power chess ego game

should go over well

[adigal]

28. This should go over like a pregnant high jumper...these idiots almost lost in KS last night!!

Keep digging, Donny, keep digging and eating those buckets of KFC.

[Blue_Roses]

30. So he's gonna punish the people who

more than likely, voted for him? Good Luck with that Trump...

Omg...what a nightmare

[Demtexan]

32. He does not need the voters anymore.

The stupid suckers already voted for him.

[Politicub]

39. He's laughing at those suckers right now

I wouldn't be surprised if he gets off on seemingly holding the power of life and death over people.

[Demtexan]

44. I think he does get a kick out of it.

He is a ugly human being.

[Bengus81]

91. No....he'll claim the DEMS are doing it to them.....

And no more informed than they are they'll BUY the LIE.

[Blue_Roses]

92. Exactly!

Yep, you're right...

[Mr. Sparkle]

36. Remember , The retugs want to use money from Health care to pay for their tax cuts

They want to remove over 500 billion from Obama-care to help pay for the tax cuts for the top 1% .

That is why they have to get health care reform first, otherwise they have no money to give back to the Billionaires

They really are scum..

[Augiedog]

37. So, once again, the chiseler in chief refuses to pay creditors. Bigly surprise there.

[Politicub]

38. Fucking thug

"I don't want people to get hurt."

What a piece of shit. Utter garbage.

[kimbutgar]

40. Bring it on chump and prepare to meet the wrath of more people.

Those healthcare companies have enough money to tell people you are intentionally withholding payments as political payback for not supporting you gutting the ACA. Unintended consequence will be your undoing.

[Mr. Ected]

42. Sure, Trump, we'll negotiate

Let's start with single payer.

[Scalded Nun]

45. New ploy after seeing what happened in Kansas

Reasonably smart people know that the GOP controls both houses, meaning Trump does not need a single Democrat to get things done. But the GOP base does not approach 'smart' in any way, shape or form. They will buy off on this and blame the Dems as well, get riled up and possibly even carry that hate through to next year's election.
I believe he only cares about having both houses through 2020. He is going to bail if he is not already in jail.

[OnionPatch]

46. I thought I was reading The Borowitz Report!

Is this for real?

[pansypoo53219]

47. dicks have to be dicks. or keep being a bully.

[JDC]

49. I sure hope Dems stay strong on this

And Message the hell out of it. They need to be on every outlet pointing out how 45 is killing people. Literally.

[elmac]

52. little hand con artist nt

[George II]

54. It will NEVER happen! He doesn't have the power to do so and republicans don't have the...

.....guts to do so.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

55. I need some help here.

The Affordable Care Act {please, not "Obamacare"} is a law, right? And ***** took an oath of office to faithfully uphold and execute blah, blah, blah, right? So any threat not comply with the law is total crap, right? And his threat is not worth the time of day, right?

Please excuse my language.

[ColemanMaskell]

78. End up in court imho - he could order non-payment, then someone would take it to court

Eventually the court would rule that he has to follow the law, but that can take time.

Presumably he doesn't sign checks himself, some department handles it, so he'd have to order them to do it. They could refuse to comply, but then he'd presumably fire them and put in someone who would do his dirty work. Then somebody would take it to court - maybe insurance companies, or maybe the ACLU would do a class action suit on behalf of the citizens getting stiffed. Wouldn't count on the Justice Dept to start the court case, but somebody would.

[3catwoman3]

56. Ah, such a delicate and sophisticated

..."negotiation" tactic. Very polished. (Just in case there was any doubt.)

[Honeycombe8]

57. Oh, Gawd. Blackmail...at the expense of ordinary Americans. OMG.

First, Americans are mandated to buy insurance. But if they can't pay for it (the premiums are outrageous for many), and if the govt won't pay the subsidies that Americans are ALREADY signed up for...then the ins. cos. will be stiffed and may not pay the claims.

Providers may stop taking the policies from the govt exchange for the individual market altogether. So Americans are paying for something that they can't use.

This is horrible.

I don't understand why "the White House" would pay for anything. The GOVERNMENT contracted for the ACA and agreed to pay the subsidies, whether Congress removed that from the budget or not.

They're dying to get that money to transfer it to the wealthy.

[Honeycombe8]

60. He's DYING to get the Dems to the table on the ACA. ????

He doesn't REALLY want to work with the Dems, so is this about getting them to agree to repeal the ACA? They won't.

Is this to scare the Tea Partiers in Congress that Trump might work "with" the Dems?

Pelosi and Schumer are old pros with cool heads. I don't think blackmail will work with them.

[singed.dude]

61. Theory as to why

This is my theory:

Malcolm Nance described Trump's accusation that Obama wiretapped Trump as (paraphrasing) "the target is getting buggy".

Trump threatening to withhold payments to insurers is another example of the target getting buggy.

Trump knows what happened during his campaign, and knows that the FBI knows. He's getting closer to getting exposed to the public. His days are numbered - his presidency won't last four years. He will be impeached or will resign in lieu of impeachment.

Trump knows from the recent attempt that the ACA is not easily repealed, and may, in fact, be politically impossible to repeal.

Trump threatening to withhold payments is one of his final stabs (maybe his last) at the ACA. His "blaze of glory" as he goes out of the White House.

[Dawson Leery]

71. add to this:

Donnie saw the swing against the GOP in KS4.
GA6 is going to be hard for the Rethugs to hold now.

[bronxiteforever]

62. GOP hates women and women's rights

Lady Liberty pukes everytime she sees Pence.
The VP is just a wannabe slave master.

[Thekaspervote]

64. Yea, I don't want to hurt poor people

But... I WILL if I don't get my way!!

[Dawson Leery]

69. As David Frum said: Trump is "worse than a Slave owner"

[Thinkingabout]

70. Trump is continuing to run his office as he did in private business, he with holds payment. We

should withhold payment to his facilities until he produces his tax returns.

[dalton99a]

72. The terrorist-in-chief wants to hold 24 million Americans hostage again.

[jpak]

73. Does Cheeto realize he will kill or maim thousands of Americans by doing this?

Last edited Wed Apr 12, 2017, 10:18 PM - Edit history (1)

Who needs ISIS?

[Politicub]

86. Yes, he admits that he knows

He said that some people might get hurt.

[The_Casual_Observer]

76. Dumb-ass bastard thinks he's real smart laying out a threat like this, is if he was making

some kind of half assed real estate negotiation. He has no regard for human life or anything else. He's a shit.

[Champion Jack]

77. Pretty sure he doesn't have the power

to do this...

[Fast Walker 52]

79. He really just could not be a bigger asshole or bigger idiot, could he???

[Corgigal]

80. It's NOT your mine asshole,

another illegal activity that the sitting POS wants to accomplish. Can we just arrest this nut and move on to the next one.

[Binders Keepers]

82. Nice little business you got here . . . .

Be a real shame if something were to happen to it....

[truthisfreedom]

84. It's called a protection racket. And let him do it. Just let him do it.

Let him start using his short-sighted rackets to extort what he wants from America.

Let's see how that plays out.

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

88. Bring it on - move us one step closer to single payer. Hmmm what am I missing here - we dont need no

stinkin insurance companies!

[riversedge]

89. GoP moving even farther Right- in part by gutting major protections for people with pre-existing co

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/04/mike-coffman-townhall-obamacare-colorado-incumbent-237183


....The issue will only get worse for centrists like Coffman. The White House and House conservatives in Washington are pressuring GOP leaders to move the Obamacare replacement bill even further right, in part by gutting major protections for people with pre-existing conditions.

[Bengus81]

90. DO as I say or I cut you OFF!! No payments to insurance companies NO ACA

This guy can FUCK OFF and DIE. Sooner the better!