Trump threatens to stop payments to health insurers

President Donald Trump threatened on Saturday to end government payments to health insurers if Congress does not pass a new health care bill and spurred them to not abandon their seven-year quest to replace the Obamacare law.

In a Twitter message on Saturday, Trump said “if a new HealthCare Bill is not approved quickly, BAILOUTS for Insurance Companies and BAILOUTS for Members of Congress will end very soon!”

The tweet came a day after Senate Republicans failed to muster enough votes to repeal parts of the Affordable Care Act.

The first part of Trump’s tweet appeared to be referring to the approximately $8 billion in costsharing reduction subsidies the federal government pays to insurers to lower the price of health coverage for lowincome Americans. The second part appeared to be a threat to end the employer contribution for Congress members and their staffs.

Aaron P. Bernstein Reuters Sen. John McCain speaks with reporters Friday after voting against the “skinny repeal” health care bill.