Trump’s end run reflects frustrations

WASHINGTON — Frustrated over setbacks in Congress, President Donald Trump wielded his rule-making power Thursday to launch an end run that might get him closer to his goal of repealing and replacing “Obamacare.”

Whether Trump’s executive order will be the play that breaks through isn’t clear.

Experts say consumers aren’t likely to see major changes any time soon, although the White House is promising lower costs and more options.

Some experts warned hard-won protections for older adults and people in poor health could be undermined by the skinny lower-premium plans Trump ordered federal agencies to facilitate.

Others say the president’s plans will have a modest impact, and might even help some consumers who don’t now benefit from financial assistance under the Obama-era law.

Tomoaki Ito / Associated Press rises from the Shinmoedake volcano after its eruption in the border of Kagoshima and Miyazaki prefectures, southwestern Japan on Thursday. The volcano erupted Thursday for the first time in six years and spread ash in nearby cities and towns.