Letter: Trump health policies will have harsh impact

Tuesday October 24, 2017

Editor:

An Oct. 13 Kaiser Health Tracking Poll found that 66 percent of Americans want the president and Congress to stop trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Instead, the respondents said, leaders should work on legislation to stabilize the marketplaces and guarantee health care for all citizens.

In response to President Donald Trump's executive orders on the issue, lawmakers from both parties have urged the president to continue cost-sharing subsidies. Trump has been threatening to repeal "Obamacare" since before he was elected.

The full impact of the executive orders will be hard to predict, but there is no doubt that they will damage health care markets and will harm the poor and chronically ill. There is no reason to cut the subsidy payments other than to score political points.

When the president's executive order takes full effect, it will most likely allow a variety of cheap insurance plans that don't cover many treatments. These plans will draw healthy families from the normal markets, raising prices on the sick.

"Trumpcare" will work nicely for healthy families, until it doesn't. If they get sick and want insurance that pays for their treatments, they will be out of luck.

Let's hope that enough lawmakers do care about their constituents, and that they fight back.

Richard A. Weiherer
Wyomissing

Trump health policies will have harsh impact
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