Trump Restarted the Sabotage of ObamaCare in early January

Despite failing to outright repeal the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare), Trump and Republicans have plenty of ways to sabotage it nonetheless by stripping reimbursements to insurers forcing them to leave the exchanges, ending marketing of the healthcare plans, and more.  What they are doing is directly harming the people they are supposed to work for.  

In early January 2018, the Trump Administration took the first step in a new effort to undermine the law and make healthcare less affordable and less available for millions of Americans.

The administration on Thursday eased rules on small businesses that band together to buy health insurance through what are known as association health plans (AHPs).

[The rule] allows associations to purchase cheaper health insurance that won’t cover the ten “essential health benefits” mandated under ObamaCare, which include mental health, substance abuse treatment, maternity care and prescription drugs.

A second proposed rule.... is expected to lift the Obama administration's restrictions on skimpy, short-term health insurance plans.  The changes would allow the plans to last for 12 months and be renewed.

What are the results of this?  The proposed rules have advocates for healthcare (and all citizens paying attention) to be worried about "massive instability in the law’s insurance marketplace."

Experts and advocates warn the rules would lead to skyrocketing premiums and a major fragmentation of the insurance markets. ... expect the short-term plans to also be exempt from all of ObamaCare’s protections, meaning insurers would be able to charge higher premiums to people with pre-existing conditions.

“Both of these rules would have the effect of seriously undercutting the viability of ObamaCare’s consumer protections by driving up premiums and weakening the risk pools,” said Edwin Park, vice president for health policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.  

This follows the GOP Tax Scam including a repeal of the individual mandate which will also cause premiums to increase.

The individual mandate likely pushed some healthy individuals to buy insurance on the exchange. Without that financial penalty, they may not return.

....most expect it will make premiums in the ObamaCare marketplace rise.

“The repeal of the mandate and expansion of association health plans and the rise of short-term plans will certainly send premiums rising for middle-class people with pre-existing conditions whose only option is the [ObamaCare]-regulated market,” said Larry Levitt, a vice president at the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Source: http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/367698-trump-takes-new-tack-to-weaken-obamacare