Roundup: Trump’s Harmful Proposals for Replacing Health Reform

In recent posts we’ve examined three approaches to replacing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) listed on President-elect Trump’s transition website and included in congressional GOP health plans: expanding Health Savings Accounts, allowing insurers to offer health coverage across state lines, and expanding high-risk pools.  As we explain, they would likely do little or nothing to help the more than 20 million people who’d lose health coverage if the ACA were repealed — the overwhelming majority of whom would likely remain without health coverage and go without needed care.

• Health Savings Accounts.  For his alternative to the ACA, President-elect Trump proposes to rely on Health Savings Accounts (HSAs).  That’s consistent with the health plans of House Speaker Paul Ryan and other congressional Republicans, which would expand HSAs in ways that would mainly benefit high-income taxpayers and likely do little for those losing their health coverage if the ACA were repealed.  Click here for more.
• Allowing insurers to sell across state lines.  President-elect Trump’s proposals to replace the ACA include allowing insurers to offer health plans to people or small businesses in other states, even if the plans don’t comply with the other states’ requirements.  Health plans from House Speaker Paul Ryan and other congressional Republicans include similar proposals.  Selling health insurance “across state lines,” supporters say, would reduce premiums and give consumers many more options.  But, in fact, it would likely do nothing to help those who’d lost their health coverage due to the ACA’s repeal to find alternative coverage in the individual market.  And it would likely make coverage much less affordable for those who are older or in poorer health.  Click here for more.
• High-risk pools.  President-elect Trump proposes to rely on high-risk pools to help people with pre-existing conditions and significant medical expenses get health coverage, if Republicans repeal the ACA as they intend.  House Speaker Paul Ryan’s health plan and those of other congressional Republicans also include high-risk pools.  But the history of high-risk pools clearly shows that, far from the “proven approach” that Mr. Trump claims, they’re a failed approach to providing coverage.  Click here for more.