Campaign Action
Congressional Democrats have two big jobs in the next two months when it comes to the Affordable Care Act. They have to hold tough to their commitment to not make damaging concessions that would weaken the law. That's key, but just as important is working now to strengthen the law by making sure it succeeds this year. That means getting the word out:
- Obamacare is not dead and enrollments open in two weeks;
- direct financial assistance for paying premiums is still available;
- there is still a tax penalty for not having coverage.
Trump's sabotage has been aimed as much at making people think Obamacare is dead as it has at actually trying to kill it. He lies about it at every opportunity, declaring that it's gone. He's stopped funding all the outreach and advertising the government is supposed to be doing to promote enrollments, reinforcing the idea that it just doesn't exist anymore. While good-sized majorities of people recognize that all the damage being done is of Trump's own doing, the problem is that many are confused about whether it will still be there in 2018 and whether they can still get financial help to get it. A new survey of uninsured people and enrollees in Obamacare conducted for Get America Covered by polling firm Hart Research Associates shows the damage:
Just 15% of uninsured and only half (51%) of insured consumers are aware that they qualify for a tax credit that lowers the monthly cost and makes health insurance affordable. In fact, just 41% of individuals currently insured through the marketplace are aware that they currently receive a tax credit. This is important because those who are aware they are eligible for a tax credit are more likely to say they will purchase health insurance for 2018. […]
Majorities of insured (54%) and uninsured consumers (59%) either believe that Obamacare will be cancelled and people will lose their health insurance coverage in 2018 or say that they are unsure; fewer than half in each group (46% of insured, 41% of uninsured) say that this is not true. Indeed, after costs, Obamacare being cancelled and people losing their health insurance is one of the top concerns that insured consumers have about purchasing health insurance for 2018.
This survey was done before Trump decided to axe cost-sharing reduction payments to insurance companies, which has only acted to increase people's misunderstanding of the financial help available to them. In all the traditional media coverage of his action, what's not been stressed is that there will still be both premium subsidies available to everyone who qualifies by income for them, either re-enrolling or enrolling for the first time, and that lower-income people will still have help from their insurers for paying deductibles and other costs. Trump isn't paying the insurance companies back for the help that they are required by law to provide to their enrollees, but they do still have to provide that help.
The ACA can survive through 2018 but it's going to take a lot of effort on the part of Democrats and allies to make that happen by making sure the word gets out and enrollments are high. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) shows one way it can be done.