- Health Insurers Make Case for Subsidies but Get Little Assurance From Administration New York Times by Reed Abelson—Health insurers pressed Trump administration officials on Tuesday to continue billions of dollars in subsidies for low-income people buying plans under the federal health care law, but left with nothing that would dissipate the fog of uncertainty hanging over the industry. The insurers have been closely watching as President Trump and congressional Republicans and Democrats debate the future of those subsidies, known as cost-sharing reductions, paid by the Obama administration that now go to the companies covering about seven million individuals to help lower deductibles and copayments. Some insurers say they are preparing two scenarios on prices that could soar to 30 percent rate increases.
- Trump Must Decide Whether to Support or Undermine Obamacare Washington Post by Paige Winfield Cunningham—The White House and Republican lawmakers are facing key decisions that could either improve the insurance marketplaces established by the ACA next year or prompt insurers to further hike rates or withdraw from those marketplaces entirely. The actions center on three programs: cost-sharing reductions, reinsurance and risk corridors.