Millions of Americans who had had government help paying for their health care coverage are losing it as a result of President Trump’s and Congressional Republicans’ decision to end much of that help, reports Reed Abelson and Margot Sanger-Katz for the New York Times. Many will die needlessly, as a result. That said, while it helped millions of Americans over the short-term, the government assistance was a handout to corporate health insurers.
Relying on corporate health insurers to provide coverage means leaving people with high health care costs and billions of medical debt. Corporate health insurers cannot provide people with good affordable health care.
More than one million fewer people signed up for health insurance through the state health insurance exchanges this year than last year because they lost the government assistance. And, millions more have opted against getting health insurance. Estimates are that about five million fewer people will go without health insurance. The Affordable Care Act plans had covered 24 million people last year; this year, 19 million, a 20 percent drop.
Many insurers and analysts are estimating overall coverage declines of about 20 percent. But, the piece of the story that we can’t know is the number of Americans with coverage who skip care because they can’t afford their ever-increasing deductibles and copays. High out-of-pocket costs are forcing people to make trade-offs between their health care and their mortgage or rent, electric bills, and other basic needs.
Still, people are opting for health plans with high deductibles because these health plans have lower premiums. About one in ten people choose bronze plans in the state health exchanges. These health plans require enrollees to pay as much as $10,600 out of pocket before their coverage kicks in.
Some government subsidies are still available to people buying insurance through the state health insurance exchanges. But, the government is not offering nearly as much assistance as it had been. People with very low incomes had received subsidies that covered their full premiums.
Here’s more from Just Care:
- AI is increasing health care costs
- Public health insurance lowers health care costs and covers the care you need
- Health care costs are forcing Americans to forgo basic necessities
- Hospitals are charging rates many times above Medicare
- High-deductible health plans mean high risk
