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The
rule, which the U.S. Department of Labor will post Tuesday,
allows small businesses and those who are self-employed to band
together and buy lower-cost health insurance policies, similar
to large employers.
But these insurance plans would not be subject to requirements
under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), commonly called Obamacare,
which included mandatory coverage for a set of 10 essential
health benefits, such as maternity and newborn care,
prescription drug costs and mental health treatment. They are
expected to be far less expensive than Obamacare plans.
Health providers, insurers and medical groups have warned that
the plans could drive up premiums and make insurance
unaffordable for some people by siphoning off healthy consumers
who want cheaper coverage, leaving behind a sicker patient pool
with higher medical costs in Obamacare plans.
The finalized rule is the Trump administration’s most recent
effort to provide consumers with alternatives to Obamacare,
former Democratic President Barack Obama’s signature domestic
policy achievement. Republicans, who control both chambers of
Congress and the White House, repeatedly failed last year to
repeal and replace the law, a top presidential campaign promise
of President Donald Trump.
Democrats blasted the rule as the latest effort by Republicans
to sabotage Americans’ healthcare.
“The Republicans agenda is to inflict higher costs on sick
Americans just to hand tax breaks to big corporations and
billionaires,” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said in a
statement.
Republicans repealed the ACA’s so-called individual mandate, the
requirement that most Americans purchase health insurance or
else pay a fine, in an overhaul of the U.S. tax code last year.
Trump last year also ended billions of dollars of insurance
subsidies under the law. Both were aimed at keeping ACA
insurance plans more affordable for millions of Americans.
Republicans have praised the new rule as providing cheaper
health insurance options to those who cannot afford Obamacare
plans or who do not want them.
(Additional reporting by Caroline Humer; Editing by Bill
Berkrot)
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