Is Obamacare over? Trump’s vow to abolish health insurance plan raises hopes, alarms in California
But whether that will happen -- or what it will mean for consumers -- is one of the big question marks in the aftermath of Tuesday's election.
"(Trump) may not be able to repeal the law on the first day completely, but there's enough that can be done with the support of
But some of those insured say they're ready to be dumped from the federal health insurance program.
Sacramentan Jim Glen is a self-described liberal who voted for
"I think this election was lost because of this issue," said Glen, 58. "Those premium letters just went out and people were seeing their increases. It had to be in the forefront of people's minds."
The former billiards room owner and his wife, a hairdresser, are self-employed but not eligible for federal subsidies. Next year, their premiums are bumping up another 20 percent, from
Since 2011, when the Affordable Care Act was launched, more than 20 million Americans have signed up for health insurance coverage, many for the first time. But it's remained hugely unpopular in some areas because of its mandates, tax subsidies and, more recently, complaints about soaring premiums and increases in copays, prescription drugs and other costs. This year, average Obamacare premiums jumped about 24 percent nationwide for 2017. Covered
The federal health law, known as Obamacare, would be eliminated and individuals would be free to buy insurance on their own, if they choose, under proposals outlined on Trump's presidential website and by House Speaker
If Obamacare is repealed, it would lead to 53.5 million Americans -- roughly 19.4 percent of the population -- being uninsured by 2021, according to a recent study by the
In
Today, millions of Americans are in the midst of the health program's annual sign-up season for 2017 coverage, which runs through
Calling the situation "a huge political minefield," state Sen.
While it would be relatively easy for
In the meantime, Covered California officials and others are urging consumers to continue with their coverage.
"Covered
"That's really important for anyone considering buying or renewing a policy in the exchange," Kominski said. "If this replacement plan goes into effect, you're going to need to demonstrate that you were continuously enrolled. Otherwise, you could be out in the cold again and denied coverage."
The prospect of Obamacare being abolished is dispiriting to those who see it as a boon to
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