Donald Trump has backed a Senate Republican bill that would see $1,500 deposited into the healthcare savings accounts of millions of Americans.
The bill, if successful, could be a radical move and help define Trump’s legacy on healthcare.
Donald Trump’s health care plans are progressing
We've been hearing a lot recently about Donald Trump's plans to start handing checks out - whether that is a good idea or not, when it might happen, and how many people will be eligible - but this is a completely different thing altogether, and it affects a common concern for many Americans - healthcare.
The plan is simple, give people money to put into their healthcare accounts, meaning that less money goes to insurance companies.
That’s how Trump framed it, anyway.
Speaking - as he often controversially chooses to do - aboard Air Force One, Trump backed the bill brought forward by Senate representatives of his own party.
On the insurance companies, he said: “They’ve been ripping off the public for years,
“Obamacare is a scam to make the insurance companies rich,
“Billions and billions of dollars is paid directly to insurance companies.”
On the proposed new legislation, he said: “I like the concept. I don’t want to give the insurance companies any money.”
The bill, which is set to be voted on in the Senate this week, is geared towards reducing the cost of Obamacare, which currently provides for 24 million Americans.
The legislation contains a provision that would see $1,000 checks given to those under the Affordable Care Act between 18 and 49, and $1,500 for those between 50 and 64.
Anyone wanting to enroll must have a household income that is equivalent to 700 percent of the poverty line for their family, or lower than that.
They must also be enrolled in at last a bronze level healthcare plan, which accounts for around a third of Obamacare people, or a catastrophic plan, which isn’t many at all.
.jpg_KxNZRz?tr=cr-0.0.1024.683,f-webp,q-75)
How much is this going to cost?
Around $10 billion is set to be set aside for the payments, and it will not be available for use on certain procedures such as abortions or gender affirming surgeries or treatments.
Anyone who is on Obamacare and a silver, gold, or platinum plan will not be eligible for this scheme.
Americans with employer-provided health insurance or on Medicare or Medicaid will not be eligible either.
Speaking to the New York Post about the bill, co-sponsor Senator Bill Cassidy said: “I absolutely agree with President Trump that we need to redirect subsidies from insurance companies and give patients the power,
“Republicans want real solutions that actually make health care affordable and put money in families’ pockets.
“I applaud the president for his leadership on this issue.”
The bill will go for a procedural vote on Thursday.