Washington (October 12, 2017) - Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) released the following statement on President Donald Trump’s executive order to allow the purchase of health insurance plans that do not comply with the Affordable Care Act’s consumer protections. The executive order would expand the availability of association health plans, short-term limited duration insurance and health reimbursement arrangements. The changes outlined in the executive order could gut protections for individuals with pre-existing conditions and would threaten the Affordable Care Act’s guaranteed access to comprehensive health care coverage, as well as threaten stability of the individual and small group market.

“Instead of creating certainty for American families, President Trump’s executive order will create chaos by sabotaging our health care system and increase costs for millions of Americans,” said Senator Markey. “Today’s executive order could return Americans back to the day where holding an insurance card did not guarantee quality, comprehensive health insurance coverage. These incessant attempts by the President and Congressional Republicans to undermine the health insurance market only undermine bipartisan discussions to improve the Affordable Care Act and reduce health care costs, something Americans have made clear they support.”  
 
Over the last several months, the Trump administration has actively created uncertainty in the individual insurance market by cutting the open enrollment period in half, slashing funding for outreach and advertising, reducing funds to help individuals learn about and enroll in insurance options, and by refusing to commit to necessary payments to help low-income insurance enrollees afford their out-of-pocket costs.
 

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