Average premiums for “benchmark” plans declined slightly (0.83%) in 2019, for the first time in the program’s history. The better news is that this overall decline was driven by seven states that obtained waivers to deviate from certain Obamacare mandates.
Attorneys defending the Affordable Care Act faced sharp questions in New Orleans Tuesday about whether eliminating the act’s penalty for not buying health insurance renders the entire law unconstitutional.
Last December, a district judge in Texas ruled that Obamacare should be struck down in its entirety. The Justice Department said in a federal appeals court filing on Monday that it agrees with this ruling, which would be a reversal of its previous position that only some of the law should be overturned.
The legislative rejection of the penalty tax would certainly show that even a left-leaning legislature has enough good sense not to lay new tax burdens on vulnerable working families.
The new health care mandate bill working its way through the Legislature would prevent association health plans and health care sharing ministries from counting as adequate health insurance.
Health-sharing is exempted from the “Obamacare” federal individual mandate to have health insurance. H.524 would eliminate that exemption.
The House Committee on Health Care appears to be leaning toward imposing a financial penalty on Vermonters who do not purchase health insurance.
Every year more than 1 million individuals across the United States benefit from health care sharing instead of purchasing health insurance. In 2009, Obamacare exempted health care sharing ministries already in existence from the individual mandate requirement.
Here’s some good news for Vermonters who cherish liberty. Last week Gov. Phil Scott made it clear he will not support a tax on Vermonters who don’t buy individual health insurance.
The Health Care Choice Proposal would make coverage far more affordable — lowering premiums by up to 32 percent, according to the Center for Health and Economy.
The Trump administration is offering welcome relief to Americans struggling with high premiums under Obamacare premiums and a lack of insurance choices.