The White House’s director of legislative affairs said Monday that the Trump administration plans to stand by while health insurance subsidies are debated in court.
“The Obamacare administration decided to start paying [cost-sharing reduction payments] at a cost of what’s estimated to be $135 billion to taxpayers over next 10 years,” said the director, Marc Short. “The court here in D.C. — a district court not usually a friend to Republicans — said this is an illegal payment. That decision is on appeal at the moment and the administration decided, look, if legislation is being worked on that begins to sunset payments then we’ll stand by as that process works so we can finally repeal and replace Obamacare.”
The payments are distributed by the federal government to insurance companies to help those on the exchanges who qualify, such as lower-income participants.
But Mr. Short said that if Republicans won’t repeal the law, taxpayers shouldn’t have to continue to fund Obamacare.
“If that’s not going to happen why should the American taxpayer continue to bailout the insurance industries?” he added.
President Trump tweeted over the weekend, however, that the federal government may stop making the payments soon. He is expected to make a decision this week.
• Sally Persons can be reached at spersons@washingtontimes.com.
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