Executive Order Aims to Promote Weak Business Friendly Health Plans
Washington – President Trump is again working to weaken, if not destroy, the landmark Affordable Care Act, today issuing an <!– executive order –> executive order that will allow insurers to sell cheap insurance policies largely outside the protections of the ACA.
With backing of business associations, the executive order signed today will promote “association health plans,” essentially bare bones; inadequate health insurance that falls short of the ACA’s designs for comprehensive coverage but that is cheap for business to provide.
“So-called health association plans, if they come to pass, are aimed at destroying the health care reforms of the Affordable Care Act. Under the tired tropes of competition is better for health care, these plans benefit business at the cost of the health care of workers, individuals and families,” said National Health Law Program (NHeLP) Executive Director Elizabeth G. Taylor. “Trump’s action today is a sop to corporate America and a direct attack on our health care system.”
NHeLP Managing Attorney of the DC Office Mara Youdelman noted the executive order would not take effect immediately. Since this effort would require changing longstanding federal regulations, the public will have an opportunity to comment. Nevertheless, she also noted that Trump stated during the signing of the EO that he planned to take additional steps to sabotage the ACA.
“Trump is not offering individuals and families greater freedom in making decisions about their health care,” Youdelman said. “He is giving more freedom to businesses to push individuals and families into health care plans that do not provide comprehensive coverage. The administration proves every day that its interests are coddling the wealthy and corporations and to tear down the domestic programs that are so vital to our most vulnerable populations.”
Please contact NHeLP’s Director of Communications Jeremy Leaming for further comment on Trump’s executive order.
