SHOT: At the State of the Union, Trump touted his administration’s expansion of short-term junk plans, while also falsely repeating his claim that he will protect people with pre-existing conditions.”
CHASER: Florida man covered by Trump-backed short-term plan “may owe thousands” after seeking test for coronavirus.
Miami Herald: A Miami Man Who Flew To China Worried He Might Have Coronavirus. He May Owe Thousands. “Hospital officials at Jackson told the Miami Herald that, based on his insurance, Azcue would only be responsible for $1,400 of that bill, but Azcue said he heard from his insurer that he would also have to provide additional documentation: three years of medical records to prove that the flu he got didn’t relate to a pre-existing condition. While Azcue’s experience shows the potential cost of testing for a disease that epidemiologists fear may develop into a public health crisis in the U.S., one insurance expert sees the episode as a cautionary tale about the potential risks associated with deregulation in the insurance market.” [Miami Herald, 2/24/20]
- “In 2018, President Donald Trump’s administration rolled back Affordable Care Act regulations and allowed so-called “junk plans” in the market. Consumers mistakenly assume that the plans with lower monthly costs will be better than no insurance at all in case of a medical catastrophe, but often the plans aren’t very different from going without insurance altogether.” [Miami Herald, 2/24/20]