The year ahead looks to be dangerous for health-care security in the U.S., as Donald Trump's administration continues to sabotage the law that Congress couldn't repeal. New proposals would let many more healthy Americans drop their Obamacare coverage — raising costs for the unhealthy and risks for everyone, sick or well.
It will fall to state governments to resist this renewed assault on universal access to adequate health insurance. Their goal should be to keep their health-care systems stable, maintain access to affordable coverage, and protect their citizens from scams.
First, the administration intends to widely expand and deregulate so-called association health plans. Under current law, such plans, sold to groups such as trade and professional associations, must cover "essential health benefits" such as hospitalization, maternity care and prescription drugs. The Trump administration wants to expand enrollment in association health plans and end the restriction on benefits. This would let insurers create cheap, weak-coverage plans and market them to people who expect no big health-care expenses.
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