Trump has new plan to undermine Obamacare. This time without Congress

[kickingandscreaming]

Trump is thinking about using his executive authority to do something that could be even more damaging to the law ― and, arguably, more threatening to people who depend on it for coverage.

Sometime in the next few days, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal, Trump is likely to instruct three key agencies to rewrite a series of regulations that affect health insurance. ....But the ultimate goal of these efforts would be to accomplish through executive action what, so far, Trump and the Republican Congress have been unable to pull off through legislation. Specifically, they would undermine the rules that guarantee comprehensive coverage to people with pre-existing conditions.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-obamacare-executive-action_us_59daa131e4b046f5ad9923a9?p4n

[MooseMom]

Oh, surely this is fake news!!!!!  He PROMISED the best health care system in the whole world, and he PROMISED that ALL AMERICANS would have AFFORDABLE healthcare.  He wouldn't possibly go back on a campaign promise!!!!! 

So, here's his plan.  He has already undermined the funding of the ACA AND he has halted funding for TV/media alerts for those Americans who want to sign up to the ACA.  He and the GOP can now run around yelling that the ACA is broken when it is they themselves who broke it.  Self fulfilling prophesy.

Who doesn't in America have a pre-existing condition?  Back when I had a private health insurance policy, I had to make a claim for a hospital stay, and the ins. co. denied my claim saying that I had a pre-existing condition.  They just made that up.  I followed their appeals process, but they stonewalled me.  Wouldn't even take my phone calls.  I had to get the state insurance board to kick their ass.  Then the ins. co. tried to claim that I wasn't a US citizen and demanded to see my green card.  I finally lawyered up and successfully sued them for a shedload of money, all because they tried to claim I had a pre-existing condition (and this had nothing to do with my kidneys).

What I don't get is why anyone wouldn't WANT to have insurance.  Let's say that you're 30 years old and "healthy".  Who's to say that you won't be in a car accident tomorrow, the result of which you'll need lifetime care and will have one hell of a pre-existing condition?  I don't get it.

But not to worry!  Trump promised us all that he wouldn't let us down and that we will all get great health insurance.  Don't worry, be happy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Simon Dog]

He PROMISED the best health care system in the whole world, and he PROMISED that ALL AMERICANS would have AFFORDABLE healthcare.

Obama promised "If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor".  They are all liars, D or R.

I finally lawyered up and successfully sued them for a shedload of money, all because they tried to claim I had a pre-existing condition (and this had nothing to do with my kidneys).

Unfortunately, ERISA limits damages for "denied claims" for any employer sponsored insurance to the amount of the denied claim only.  You cannot get damages for the adverse medical outcome due to denied claims.  But, if you were on employer insurance, pre-existing conditions would be less of an issue.

What I don't get is why anyone wouldn't WANT to have insurance.

That is the view of someone with assets.   People who have nothing and live paycheck to paycheck are "judgement proof" and rely on the de-facto insurance provided by the mandate that providers treat emergency cases without regard to ability to pay.   This is short sighted, because there is no mandate that providers treat that growing lump without payment up front.

[MooseMom]

Unfortunately, Obama and now Trump both fell into the trap of making promises that were/are not theirs to keep.  Insurance companies will do anything and everything to lessen their exposure.  Doctors made/will make decisions on which patients they keep/take on based on the insurance companies' underwriters.  An acquaintance of mine received a letter from her doctor's practice telling her that they were dropping her from their patient rolls because of some garbage about how the ACA made it too hard for them to keep her on.  What they were really telling her was that they weren't going to get paid as much for seeing her.  That was a decision made by that practice.

Just to make myself clear in describing what happened to me, I did not have employer sponsored insurance at the time that I took out my own annual policy.  I was not looking to get damages for any adverse outcome due to denied claims, rather, the hospital/health providers involved were looking for payment for services already provided.  The judge ruled in my favor, which meant that the health care providers received payment and I received the maximum payment allowed because my insurance company was in breach of contract and was made to pay me punitive damages.


I understand, Simon Dog, that you may have been writing in more general terms, but in case you were not, I wanted to clarify my post.

I can certainly understand the reliance upon emergency care, but that will help you only once.  But Trump promised to fix this, so I'm counting on him.