Donald Trump, the president-elect of America, is expected to come up with various changes under his government. He appointed Tom Price, who has been an opponent of the Affordable Care Act, to head the department of health and human services. Price has come up with an approach that will change the Obamacare policy.
The changes will do away with the Obamacare strategy where the government runs people insurance based on their income to a strategy that will offer fixed tax credit according to people’s age rather than their income. In this case, people could choose to buy their insurance policies on their own in the private market. The young will get lower tax credits than the old which shall be done annually.
Under price’s approach, people will be allowed to save income after tax in the health savings account in order to pay for their future health expenses. This will apply even to those who already have a health insurance cover.
In order to help the aged and the sick get insured without challenges, Price has come up with a strategy to cut off the cost of enrollment but at a small percentage. This will be attained by providing grants to states to insure the elderly and people with serious illness although the amount set aside for the project is way too low having set 3billion dollars for a 3-year period.
Companies and employers exclude some tax in order to cover their employees’ health insurance. This amount will be reduced under Price’s approach since he will put a limit on the amount that should be excluded.
The health insurers will be permitted to sell their policies anywhere in all the States of America. Health insurance will hence be treated like any other insurance products which can be bought anywhere along the state line.
From the changes expected, Price’s approach will favor the financially able, young, and healthy people while oppressing the sick, elderly, and the poor. Although it eliminates the Obamacare policy where one had to include other benefit packages on the insurance policy which made it more expensive, insurers could charge the elderly enrollment fees higher than they should since there is no limit under the Price approach.