Trump's Obamacare move could cost US nearly $200 billion

[TomCADem]

Source: Bloomberg

President Donald Trump is halting some Obamacare subsidies. A big money saver for taxpayers, right? Wrong. The move could actually force the government to dole out almost $200 billion more on health insurance over the next decade.

Here’s why: The insurer payouts Trump cut off aren’t the only government funds financing the program. Consumers also can get help with their insurance premiums. When the insurer subsidies are discontinued, those premiums are pushed higher -- and because the consumer subsidies are far bigger than those given to insurers, that’s a costly trade.

More than eight in ten individuals who buy Obamacare plans get help paying their premiums directly from the federal government. Those subsidies effectively cap how much people have to pay for insurance as a percentage of their income.

Even if premiums climb, people who receive those benefits won’t pay more out of their own pockets. The subsidies are available to people making as much as four times the federal poverty level, or just over $97,000 for a family of four.

Read more: http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/healthcare/trumps-obamacare-move-could-cost-us-nearly-dollar200-billion/ar-AAtoNwI?li=BBnb7Kz

[dalton99a]

1. Traitorous piece of shit vermin

[Demtexan]

2. Now it is Trump Care.

I hope the republicans like what they voted for.

Next step is medicare.

CHIPS for children is already gone.

[cstanleytech]

3. Don't fall for it that's what the Repugnants are hoping that we ignore them and blame Trump entirely

but they are far more at fault for this than he is as they have the power to stop it and are not acting.

[Demtexan]

6. I do not want President Obama blamed.

This will be a giant mess for everyone.

[Duppers]

4. At least seniors and AARP are a voting block

Even if they're damn rethugs, they won't vote for reps who will kill their Medicare.

[Demtexan]

5. I lot of them do not know it is a government program.

For real.

They are about to get an education.

[Duppers]

7. F'n serious?!!

[Demtexan]

8. For real.

I guess they think the money comes out if nowhere.

[C Moon]

9. What does the GOPutin care about other people's money?

The GOPutin is giddy about Trump right now. Look at what Gringrich said—that's how the whole lot of traitor white collar criminals feel about Trump. The GOPutin will push this Trump-crime to the breaking point.

[Achilleaze]

10. Thanks republicans

this is another massive FAIL for you and your ignoble Draft-Dodger-in-Chief.

[mr_lebowski]

11. I don't understand ... I thought the 'subsidized' portion of a person's premiums

... i.e. when a person/family buys through the exchange, and they avail themselves of the 'subsidy', that is a subsidy paid directly to the insurance company (which Trump has apparently randomly by decree and probably illegally ... decided to curtail).

I've never heard of insurance consumers just like, getting checks sent to them, to 'help' with their insurance premiums, which is what this article seems to imply?

As far as I've ever heard, the 'help' that you get ... is basically a check from the Feds to the insurers, to cover a part of your premiums, period.

Why would there be any 'other way' that this subsidy system was implemented?

Or is what Trump is defunding ... something else beside the consumer subsidy? Do (or ... did) the insurers just get money ON TOP of the consumer subsidies for the Premiums? And if so, why, exactly?

[xor]

14. From my understanding (I could be wrong)

What Trump decided to cut were subsidies that were used for certain cost-sharing plans that had really low deductibles and out-of-pocket costs. I'm not 100% sure what the qualifications for getting those were, but I am sure it had something to do with income being below a certain level. So the insurance received the subsidies so those could exist. Even people who didn't qualify for those cost-sharing plans still received subsidies to help them pay for their insurance on the exchanges depending on their income levels. But those plans usually cost much more to get equivalent non-cost-sharing plans with similar deductibles. I believe that's at least somewhat accurate, but don't take it as fact. Maybe someone can come in and correct me or explain it better.

[olddad56]

12. Trump is keeping with his puppeter's orders to destroy America

revenge for the US govt destroying the USSR.

[xor]

13. Is it possible he will try eliminate the tax credit subsidies?

I'm assuming that is something these people at least discussed. Could those be next, or are they protected? Would it even matter? Make the cost of it all go up so that it becomes impossible to maintain anything?

Of course the Trump cult will blame everyone but Trump for whatever mess comes from this.