Pallone Joins Chorus of Opposition to Trump Medicaid Rollback

Hospital officials everywhere are scrambling to get a bead on the future of Obamacare, but if it’s repealed as president-elect Donald Trump promised during his campaign, it could mean financial problems for facilities already struggling in a changing health care environment. What would that mean for MA?

Since his surprise election, he has not provided many specifics about how soon the law could be repealed and what might replace it, other than to say that some of the more popular components might be saved, such as the prohibition on insurers denying coverage to individuals due to pre-existing health conditions and permitting young adults to remain covered under their parents’ policies.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that more than 1 million Americans selected plans using the Healthcare.gov webiste since November 1, including about 250,000 new consumers and more than 750,000 clients renewing coverage.

Is President Obama right that the law is working far better than its critics say?

Q: Can my insurer drop out once the new administration takes over, even if the law hasn’t been repealed?

Paul Connor, CEO and president of Eastern Long Island Hospital, said last Tuesday that the hospital is politically neutral and needs both elected Republicans and Democrats who want to work on its behalf, but that there does not seem to be a plan in place just yet to replace the ACA. “If there is not enough money, unfortunately the state is going to have to make some hard decisions”.

Importantly, H.R 3762’s enactment would have been delayed for two years, presumably to allow for a replacement that would have provided coverage in some manner for those 20 million enrollees.

Montana’s Republican-controlled Legislature rejected the expansion in 2013, but a coalition of moderate Republicans and Democrats pushed it through previous year.

Days after the election, Mr. Trump was noted for taking a slightly scaled-back approach to the current health care law.

There has been talk among Republicans about providing Medicaid funding as “block grants”, where each state gets a sum of money to design its own program.

Pallone warned that Republicans in Congress could succeed in repealing most of the reform law with a simple majority through budget reconciliation. He’s also anxious about those with pre-existing conditions, including his niece.

“The commonwealth of MA was very far down the road on its own, implementing and supporting what for all intents and purposes was pretty close to universal coverage for everyone in the commonwealth before the ACA”, Baker said.

Advocates agree that those without insurance coverage should think about signing up despite the uncertainties, said Antoinette Kraus, executive director of the Pennsylvania Health Access Network.

“Integration of services means better communication among primary care and behavioral health providers, more opportunities for preventive care, and more consistent, all-inclusive coverage for individuals”, he said.

Still, “I have no confidence if I were to develop something serious that a personal policy would cover me”, she said. Others say they would like a replacement, but don’t like the ideas leading Republicans have outlined.

First, there is a provision that allows for people to buy health insurance across state lines, eliminating the seven states where there is a monopoly on the Obamacare marketplace and increasing competition overall. About half of all Idahoans on the exchange receive health insurance for less than $100 a month. MassHealth was expanded to cover all poor people, not only those who are children, elderly or disabled. However, another often-neglected subsidy pays a portion of the out-of-pocket costs that most insurance policies charge through deductibles and co-payments.

Grams, like many self-employed farmers, relies on individual plans for insurance and has been watching prices climb.

“We’re really not sure what to expect for next year”, he said. And we think its stock price has almost unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! “Since the Medicaid expansion started, there’s been about 24,000 jobs created in our state in the health care field and many of those would be jeopardized”.

“I certainly have real concerns about Medicaid and Medicaid funding coming into our state”, said Attorney General Maura Healey, whose office tracks health care costs.

“Some people may ask: If it’s going to be dismantled, why sign up?”, she said. Furthermore, the rising cost of premiums is a major issue, and I agree that “unchaining” health care from Washington could establish a competitive market, potentially lowering insurance costs. The Ryan plan also would scrap subsidies geared to income.

Franks, chairman of the House Judiciary subcommittee on the Constitution, said he worries some in Congress may seek more time to pass a bill.