Democratic mayors and doctor groups have sued the Trump administration for its efforts to restrict enrollment in the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
The Trump administration introduced new rules that reduced the enrollment window for ACA coverage, reversing a previous Biden-era effort that had expanded access to health insurance, leading to record enrollment.
Driving the news: The Department of Health and Human Services implemented stricter restrictions for Obamacare enrollment just as Congress was considering a bill aimed at decreasing participation in the program, which President Trump has criticized.
- The new regulations are expected to impact approximately 2 million individuals, causing nearly 10% of participants to lose their coverage due to barriers created by the rules.
The big picture: Democratic mayors from Baltimore, Chicago, and Columbus, Ohio, along with two liberal advocacy groups, Doctors for America and Main Street Alliance, have filed a lawsuit against the federal health department, claiming that the rules will result in more uninsured residents and strain city services.
- The lawsuit argues that the 2025 Rule undermines the Affordable Care Act’s objective of extending affordable health coverage to all Americans, increasing the population of underinsured and uninsured individuals instead.
- Changes introduced by the federal health department include shortening the enrollment period for the marketplace, making income verification checks more rigorous, imposing a fee for automatic re-enrollment, denying coverage to those with unpaid premiums, and restricting coverage for certain immigrant groups.
The other side: The Trump administration defended the new rules, stating that they will enhance the marketplace’s future, lower premiums for remaining participants, close loopholes, strengthen oversight, and ensure taxpayer subsidies reach eligible individuals.
- However, the mayors argue that the policies were implemented without sufficient public input and will ultimately push families off their health insurance, raising costs for millions of Americans without aiding their health or safety.
- While the lawsuit does not challenge the restrictions on immigrant enrollment in ACA coverage, it questions the legality of the new rules and their impact on the accessibility of affordable health care for individuals across the country.
