- Trump Moves to Relax Rules on Cheaper Health Insurance New York Times by Robert Pear — The Trump administration took another swipe at the Affordable Care Act on Tuesday, proposing new rules that would make it much easier for consumers to buy less expensive health insurance policies that do not comply with coverage requirements of the law. Under current rules, such "short-term, limited-duration insurance" cannot last for more than three months. Under the proposal, the limit would be 364 days. The move carries out an executive order by President Trump, who said the change would benefit consumers because "short-term, limited-duration insurance is exempt from the onerous and expensive insurance mandates and regulations" in the Affordable Care Act.
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Trump’s Obamacare Changes to Push up Premiums, Report Projects Bloomberg News by John Tozzi — The Trump administration’s efforts to loosen health insurance rules will increase premiums for Obamacare plans by double-digit percentages in most states next year, according to a new analysis by the Urban Institute. Monthly payments for a traditional health insurance plan sold through Obamacare will go up by 18 percent, on average, in 43 states where there aren’t limits on less-comprehensive but less-expensive coverage the administration is calling for, according to the Washington-based policy group.
- Trump Administration Dismantles LGBT-Friendly Policies Politico by Dan Diamond —Despite Trump's promise to defend LGBT rights, his health agency has blocked efforts to combat discrimination. The nation's health department is taking steps to dismantle LGBT health initiatives, as political appointees have halted or rolled back regulations intended to protect LGBT workers and patients, removed LGBT-friendly language from documents and reassigned the senior adviser dedicated to LGBT health. The sharp reversal from Obama-era policies carries implications for a population that's been historically vulnerable to discrimination in health care settings, say LGBT health advocates. A Health Affairs study last year found that many LGBT individuals have less access to care than heterosexuals; in a Harvard-Robert Wood Johnson-NPR survey one in six LGBT individuals reported experiencing discrimination from doctors or at a clinic.