Government Shutdown Continues: Trump and Oz Signal Openness On ACA Credits
Democrats again voted down a GOP government funding bill on a fifth attempt. The same three Democratic caucus members supported the measure, but it fell short of the 60 votes needed to pass in the Senate.
Democrats are seeking to tag the government closure as a healthcare shutdown, arguing business cannot resume unless expiring Exchange premium enhancements are extended and other healthcare cuts are rescinded. Polls seem to show that Republicans are being blamed more for the shutdown than the Democrats, but the split is razor thin at 52-49. A healthcare policy group KFF poll also finds that more than three-quarters of Americans want the tax credit enhancements to continue. And about 3 in 4 people said they will blame Trump or the GOP if they end.
Republicans and Democrats both appear to be unrelenting in their position, but both President Trump and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz signaled they are willing to consider healthcare changes. President Trump indicated he was willing to making a deal with Democrats on healthcare but indicated he is not saying it will happen.
A new KFF analysis also finds that 80% of all premium tax credits benefited enrollees in states Trump won. In part this is because more red or reddish states have not expanded Medicaid and the previously uninsured are more reliant on the Exchanges.
Republicans take the position that they have about three months to negotiate an extension if they want to, but the truth is that open enrollment begins for most Nov 1. And premium hikes due to the subsidy enhancement expiration would need to be public by then. This could chill re-enrollment.
Oz called out his concerns with fraudulent enrollments but said that premium rates from the health plans could be adjusted before the new year. While some moderate Republicans are sympathetic to an extension, conservatives are urging leaders not to go wobbly on the Obamacare issue.
Additional articles: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5540415-trump-republicans-shutdown-cbs-poll/?tbref=hp and https://www.kff.org/quick-take/more-than-half-of-aca-marketplace-enrollees-live-in-republican-congressional-districts/ and https://www.kff.org/quick-take/if-enhanced-aca-tax-credits-expire-older-marketplace-enrollees-face-steepest-premium-hikes/ and https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5538167-congress-aca-tax-credit-increase/ and https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5540430-mike-johnson-shutdown-obamacare-subsidies/ and https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5540836-chip-roy-obamacare-shutdown/?tbref=hp and https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5541610-trump-democrats-healthcare-deal/
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— Marc S. Ryan
