WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after President Donald Trump announced late Thursday night that the Trump administration will stop paying health care Cost Sharing Reduction (CSR) payments. Without the CSR payments, health insurance rates will see double digit increases—in many cases, 20% or more.
“This is what sabotage looks like. With this action, President Trump is punishing American families for his own legislative failures. Since he couldn’t get Congress to pass his devastating repeal bill, he’s now trying to push the Affordable Care Act to collapse so that his own politically-driven prophecies will come true.
“This announcement is just the latest step in a concerted sabotage campaign, including cutting the 2018 enrollment period in half, virtually eliminating the advertising and community outreach that ensures Americans know about the opportunity to get health care, and scheduled ‘maintenance’ on the enrollment website that will keep it down every Sunday during the open enrollment period.
“Access to health care is a life-or-death issue. Period. This despicable sabotage campaign is the definition of playing politics with people’s lives, and it must end immediately.
“It is essential that Congress rectify Trump’s sabotage in December when we pass the next government funding bill.”
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