Trump sabotaging Obamacare by holding CSR money hostage. And the insurers are pissed.

[DetlefK]

http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/4/12/1652597/-Healthcare-Industry-to-Trump-Seriously-we-aren-t-screwing-around-anymore

Last week, former CMS Administrator Andy Slavitt conveyed a warning to the Trump Administration and the GOP about how critical confirming ongoing Cost Sharing Reduction reimbursements (not just for the rest of 2017, but continuing into 2018) is, by paraphrasing multiple anonymous sources within the health insurance industry.

...

3. Every day that passes with no certainty from Trump = more uncertainty for insurers, who have to decide soon whether to stay in Obamacare.
4. Sometimes no decision *is* a decision. Trump may not explicitly kill Obamacare — but this dragged-out decision is slowly torturing it.

Today, the industry itself sent the following brief but extremely blunt letter to Trump, HHS Secretary Tom Price, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, OMB Director Mick Mulveney and current CMS Administrator Seema Verma ...
As Kliff noted via Twitter, it's not just the usual suspects here (BCBSA, AHIP, etc)...the U.S. Chamber of friggin' Commerce is cosigning this letter.

...

In an interview in the Oval Office, Mr. Trump said the White House may lack authority to make the payments established under his predecessor to reduce copayments and deductibles for some of the poorest customers who buy insurance under the 2010 Affordable Care Act. Cutting off the payments could trigger turmoil in insurance markets.

“I don’t want people to get hurt,” Mr. Trump said. “What I think should happen—and will happen—is the Democrats will start calling me and negotiating.”

Shorter Trump: Nice affordable health care for the poor you got here, would be a real shame if something happened to it.

There are a couple obvious problems with this plan:

1) Trump’s hostage and his ransom are the same thing: He’s threatening to cut off health-insurance subsidies for poor people if Democrats don’t vote for his health-care plan, which significantly reduces health-insurance subsidies for poor people.

2) It will be hard to convince the public to blame Democrats for Obamacare’s destruction, after you publicly declared your intention to destroy Obamacare so that people would blame the Democrats for what you did.

[malaise]

1. Well the Con swore to uphold the laws of the United States

and Obamacare is the law so they can sue.

[Augiedog]

2. Why is anybody surprised he won't pay those to whom he owes money? That's his hallmark move.

[Cha]

3. KICK

[orangecrush]

4. K&R

How much longer?

[rgbecker]

5. Forget shooting someone on Fifth Ave.

Trump could round up all the medicaid recipients and march them to "holocaust centers" and his supporters will continue their love for all things orange.

Hope that Sanders gets a chance to "Negotiate' with Trump soon.

[barbtries]

6. well that's a big surprise.

unintended consequences. we're dying from them.

[Volaris]

7. Democrats call his fucking BLUFF.

DARE his worthless ass to withold payment, and watch how fast you get control of Congress back.

[Grins]

16. YUP!!! "Please proceede, Mr. (Gag!) President...."

Go for it, you giant-headed orange demagogue!

If you think people were pissed at you before the no-vote to "Repeal and Replace", just watch how pissed they will become as the insurance companies (who will also be pissed) walk from them and blaming you for welching on cost reimbursements. The 24x7 screaming will be far beyond what it was for "Repeal and Replace". And Repukes in Congress, already scared of their constituents over that last one, will cower and scramble to find something, anything, to fill that gap.

In the short run there is nothing they can do to get the insurance companies back. That ship would have sailed and the time to reconstitute will be at least a year. An election year.

What could they do? "Medicare for all"...? And how do they undo that later?

Democrats - call his bluff! No deals. No compromises. While they're down - kick 'em!

[modrepub]

20. That only half the equation

be it the most important. If the insurance companies walk there are going to be lots of layoffs. Less people "consuming" health care means less need for doctors, nurses, office assistants, insurance preparers/processors, office building maintenance/leasing... you get the picture. In most rural areas, healthcare is the largest employer.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

21. He will spin it "See, told you Obamacare was on a nosedive to crash" and no one will

know it is his fault (at least the stupider people)

[Mc Mike]

8. The most nazi-like authoritarian the repugs ever put into power

is 'worried' that he might 'lack the authority' to spend tax money on a bill that became law.

He wants to destroy it, then tell his dumbfuck fans 'it fell apart', so when they suffer and die from no health care, they can blame his 'enemies'.

And those simps will defend him to the end, as he stabs them in the back.

[not fooled]

9. The corporate media

better do their job and explain what's going on, loudly and clearly, to the American public.

And no, their job is NOT to hide this evidence of dump's malfeasance, in order to prop him up.

[nikibatts]

10. If the insurers are so "pissed" they should realize they have been played too.

[bronxiteforever]

11. I hope we learn from McConnell's theft of sup. Ct. Seat

Dems can't accept this in quiet. This is the ultimate coward move by 45. He pulled the bill before a vote. His party Has reached the height of power ( first time in a century). For everytime they try this, we bring up that we will support single payer only.

The gopers need healthcare "reform" because they are going to use the money "saved" on tax cuts for the 1%. They seek to destroy Medicare too.

[world wide wally]

12. Why do we tolerate this maniacal fraud?

FYD (fuck you deplorables)

[CousinIT]

13. He isn't threatening ACA or Democrats as much as he is threatening THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

"Nice healthcare program you got there. Would be a shame if something happened to it"

Worse, he's threatening the most VULNERABLE American people.

We're all just collateral damage in the billionaire's war for profits. Yes. We're HOSTAGES.

"I don't want people to get hurt" (?)

IF HE DIDN'T WANT PEOPLE TO GET HURT, HE WOULDN'T BE DOING THIS!

He doesn't give a damn if people get hurt (as long as none of them are HIS people).

Stupid goddamned psychopath.

[bronxiteforever]

18. +1000

[secondwind]

14. K&R

[mountain grammy]

15. Here's a big wad of truth for ya, stupid donnie,

you can't screw the poor without hurting your billionaire friends, and they'll squeal for pennies.

[Nitram]

17. Actually, Trump is "threatening" to hold CSR money hostage.

He hasn't actually done so, yet. If he does, it will backfire on him bigly.

[sheshe2]

19. Bastard!

I hate the man.