Harvard Public Health

In early October, President Trump took aim at the Affordable Care Act (ACA), with two proposed changes that could weaken the law. The President said that the government will stop making cost-sharing reduction payments to health insurance companies. These payments are intended to subsidize plans offered to lower income Americans under the ACA. And in a separate move, President Trump issued an executive order which would ease the rules and regulations for health plans offered under Obamacare and open the door for the creation of association health plans. The moves come just before the next ACA open enrollment period, running from November 1 to December 15. While the changes are not likely to affect plans offered during the upcoming enrollment, Benjamin Sommers, associate professor of health policy and economics, says the changes could lead to higher premiums and co-pays and potentially destabilize insurance markets over the long-term. Visit healthcare.gov to sign up for insurance beginning November 1.