President Trump, how will you cover needy families under your plan to replace Obamacare?
US House Speaker Paul Ryan, US House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and US Representative Greg Walden hold a news conference on the American Health Care Act on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S. March 7, 2017.
Over President Donald Trump's roughly first 100 days, we'll be asking him questions that our audience wants answers to. Join the project by tweeting this question to @realDonaldTrump with the hashtag #100Days100Qs. See more of our questions at pri.org/100questions.
#48. @realDonaldTrump how will you cover needy families under your plan to replace Obamacare? #100Days100Qs
Medicaid expansion was one of the key parts of the Affordable Care Act. In 31 states, Medicaid was expanded to provide coverage to more low-income families. For individuals and families whose incomes are up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level, Medicaid became an option. That means a family of four making up to roughly $33,000 a year became eligible for government health insurance.
Under the new Republican plan, people who enroll in Medicaid under the expanded eligibility before 2020 would be allowed to stay on the plan, but no new enrollees would be allowed. That includes people who become ineligible, based on income or other circumstances, but then want to get back on after 2020.
The Republican plan, though, has come under fire from both sides of the aisle, and the health care industry.
Some Trump voters who stand to lose their insurance if Medicaid expansion is rolled back are also afraid of being left without affordable insurance. Like 55-year-old Martha Brawley of Monroe, North Carolina.
“I’m scared, I’ll tell you that right now, to think about not having insurance at my age," she says.
Trump campaigned on a promise to provide more affordable insurance for everyone, calling Obama’s plan an expensive disaster. President Trump, how will you provide insurance for needy families? Tweet this question to the president.