The Bishop and the Butterfly: Murder, Politics, and the End of the Jazz Age

    Trump Effectively Kills Affordable Care Act

    WaPo :

    President Trump signed an executive order late Friday giving federal agencies broad powers to unwind regulations created under the Affordable Care Act, which might include enforcement of the penalty for people who fail to carry the health insurance that the law requires of most Americans.....It does not describe specific federal rules to be softened or lifted, but it appears to give room for agencies to eliminate an array of ACA taxes and requirements.

    As soon as Trump gets his people in place at HHS, the rules will begin to vaporize, the taxes on the rich that fund subsidies for lower income families will almost certainly end, and a huge financial bleed will start. Compounded enormously when the individual requirement, or mandate, is dropped. 

    Trump believes the ACA is a disaster.

    He believes the huoooge victory he won in the election means ending Obamacare is what the people want, and ASAP. Insurance companies will not act as precipitously as Trump, but they can cancel plans at any point when ACA funding from Trump's Department HHS starts drying up.

     

    Comments

    I think the key to the repub plans involves permitting the peasants to purchase health insurance with many exceptions, with a huge deductible, with no recourse.....

    All righty then....

    Gut the plan and then tell us about freedom of choice!

    My God I hate these people!


    Trump: Fantastic affordable health insurance for everbody.

    Ryan: Health care access afforded for everyone.

    Media: Trump said insurance not access!

    Prebus/GOP: Fake news! Media lies!


    Might as well post the whole enchilada...

     

    THE WHITE HOUSE

    Office of the Press Secretary

    For Immediate Release January 20, 2017

    EXECUTIVE ORDER

    MINIMIZING THE ECONOMIC BURDEN OF THE PATIENT PROTECTION AND AFFORDABLE CARE ACT PENDING REPEAL

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:


    Section 1. It is the policy of my Administration to seek the prompt repeal of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-148), as amended (the "Act"). In the meantime, pending such repeal, it is imperative for the executive branch to ensure that the law is being efficiently implemented, take all actions consistent with law to minimize the unwarranted economic and regulatory burdens of the Act, and prepare to afford the States more flexibility and control to create a more free and open healthcare market.

    Sec. 2. To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (Secretary) and the heads of all other executive departments and agencies (agencies) with authorities and responsibilities under the Act shall exercise all authority and discretion available to them to waive, defer, grant exemptions from, or delay the implementation of any provision or requirement of the Act that would impose a fiscal burden on any State or a cost, fee, tax, penalty, or regulatory burden on individuals, families, healthcare providers, health insurers, patients, recipients of healthcare services, purchasers of health insurance, or makers of medical devices, products, or medications.

    Sec. 3. To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Secretary and the heads of all other executive departments and agencies with authorities and responsibilities under the Act, shall exercise all authority and discretion available to them to provide greater flexibility to States and cooperate with them in implementing healthcare programs.

    Sec. 4. To the maximum extent permitted by law, the head of each department or agency with responsibilities relating to healthcare or health insurance shall encourage the development of a free and open market in interstate commerce for the offering of healthcare services and health insurance, with the goal of achieving and preserving maximum options for patients and consumers.

    Sec. 5. To the extent that carrying out the directives in this order would require revision of regulations issued through notice-and-comment rulemaking, the heads of agencies shall comply with the Administrative Procedure Act and other applicable statutes in considering or promulgating such regulatory revisions.

    Sec. 6. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

    (i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

    (ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

    (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

    (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

    DONALD J. TRUMP
    THE WHITE HOUSE,
    January 20, 2017

     

    And if you go looking for it at the White House site it's not posted there yet.

     

     

    ~OGD~