How does Trumpcare Affect Our Senior Citizens?

Health experts argue that Trumpcare has many clauses that lockout vulnerable citizens, more especially the low-income senior citizens from receiving the health care coverage that they deserve. Below are some ways through which Trumpcare might negatively impact our senior citizens.

Trumps Healthcare Reform has Shortened the Open Enrollment Period from 6 months to 45 days.

An open enrollment period is a duration during which a senior citizen 65 and older can enroll for a Medigap policy also known as Medicare supplement plans. During this time, an eligible candidate can register for any Medigap policy regardless of their medical condition.

In Obamacare, the open enrollment period lasted for six months while the period lasts for only 45 days in Trumps new reform. This means that more senior citizens might be locked out from enrolling for a Medigap policy.

Trumpcare Insurance Lacks a Plan to Foster Transparency

Another significant way in which Trumpcare may affect senior citizens is that the Trumpcare reform requires guidelines to facilitate price and coverage transparency. The Obamacare had a marketplace where insurance consumers can view the prices and coverage benefits of different plans provided by various insurance carriers.

As such, Trumps health reform opens a way for predatory health insurance providers who might take advantage to offer expensive plans with lower coverage.

Trump's Changes Open Ways for Expensive Coverage for Pre-Existing Conditions

In the Obamacare, insurance consumers who had a pre-condition had the freedom to apply for a Medicare plan. Also, the Obamacare protected our senior citizens with a preexisting condition from paying a higher insurance premium than those in sound health.
Unlike Obamacare, Trumpcares reform tends to allow health insurance carriers to charge health consumers with a pre-existing condition a higher premium than those with sound health.

Trumpcare May Lock Out Some Senior Citizens from Cost Assistance

In the Obamacare health reform, health consumers from a low economic background would apply for a cost assistance to assist them to buy a health insurance. 85% of people who signed up for the federal cost assistance were approved.

In Trumpcares plan, the cost assistance beneficiaries might reduce since the qualification criteria is based on age rather than financial need. Based on this selection criterion for cost assistance, many senior citizens may not qualify leaving them out or requiring them to spend more out of their pocket.

Trumpcares Medicaid Block-Grant Program Might Reduce Health Coverage for Our Senior Citizens.

Trumps health reform proposes a Medicaid block-grant program to save money. However, insurance experts argue that this program will reduce health coverage to our low- income senior citizens given the fact that most Medicaid consumers are older adults.

Does Trumpcare Hurt Medicare?

In the Obamacare, the government increased payroll taxes to support Medicare Trust Fund, a fund that reimburses hospitals after giving health assistance to senior citizens.
Unlike Obamacare, Trumpcare will abolish the payroll Taxes. This abolishment is likely to eliminate Medicare Trust Fund four years before the projected 2029. As such, hospitals will be forced to take the loss or stop providing Medicare. If this happens, senior citizens will be exposed to high medical expenses.

Based on the views above, the adoption of the Trumpcare reform that was crafted and endorsed by President Donald Trump is likely to render weak economic citizens un-insured. Most people who will be negatively affected by Trumpcare are senior citizens. Trumpcare might lock out some senior citizens from receiving cost assistance, expose them to predatory insurance providers, and reduce their health coverage.

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