Four cities sue Trump administration over ACA rollback

FOUR MAJOR U.S. CITIES sued the Trump administration Aug. 2 over its regulatory dismantling of the Affordable Care Act, claiming that federal actions are overtaxing their health departments.

Baltimore, Chicago, Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio, along with liberal advocacy groups, alleged that President Donald Trump and his administration “are deliberately trying to make the (ACA) fail.” They maintain these efforts will drain city budgets and resources to manage public health as coverage rates are predicted to drop. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Maryland, alleges the moves have led to a “slow trend upward” of the uninsured rate, which hit a record low of 9.1% in 2015.

“By intentionally sabotaging the ACA, the Trump administration is directly increasing the number of uninsured and underinsured Baltimoreans. This will increase demand for our services, without additional resources,” Baltimore Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen said in a statement.

The cities claim that policies from Trump and his top health deputies are discouraging enrollment in comprehensive insurance plans, raising prices and reducing choices within the individual market, and misappropriating funds Congress earmarked for Obamacare.

The Trump administration last week issued a final rule that will allow up to three years of enrollment in shortterm, limited-duration plans that typically offer bare-bones coverage (See story, p. 12). Officials tout the change as offering more, cheaper choices for younger people who weren’t opting into the higher-priced, robust cover

● age on the Obamacare exchanges.