Trump Planning Executive Order To Unravel Obamacare’s Individual Mandate

Breitbart ^ | 11/06/17 | Sean Moran

[Enlightened1]

According to a report from the Washington Examiner, President Donald Trump will prepare an executive order that will unravel Obamacare’s individual mandate.

A Republican senator told the Examiner that the executive order resides at the Office of Management and Budget waiting for final approval. President Trump reportedly delayed the executive order after Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) pushed to include a repeal of the individual mandate in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

A White House official pushed back on the Senators’ claims, saying that the Trump administration’s position remains that Congress should resolve the issue of repealing Obamacare.

The White House staffer said, “Pursuant to the President’s January EO on Obamacare, we are always looking for ways to provide relief from Obamacare. The long-standing issues with the mandate would be best resolved legislatively.”

Repealing the individual mandate could save $416 billion over a decade, which would, in turn, save billions needed to help pay for the Republicans tax plan. House Speaker Paul Ryan suggested this past weekend that the House could propose to include the individual mandate’s repeal in the tax plan, although, some Republicans remain concerned that including the Obamacare partial repeal could halt tax reform.

President Trump cannot repeal the individual mandate outright through executive order, but Trump can direct the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through expanded “hardship exemptions,” which is left to the discretion of the executive branch. The hardship exemption would allow Americans to avoid paying the government the $695 fine or 2.5 percent of one’s income, whichever is larger, for not obtaining health insurance.

[Paulie]

I thought this was already done, no? Guess not.

Better late than never.

Dismantle away, Mr. President.

[CincyRichieRich]

No plan, only do!

No telegraph!!!

[taildragger]

That's great but where the H6!! is a replacement for Dr Price to exercise the powers under the ACA "of the administrator shall" and undo all the Sebilius did? Why the heck has Seema Verma been offered the job?

The good news that still goes under everyone's radar:

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2017/10/12/president-trump-signs-executive-order-to-promote-healthcare-choices-and-options/

IMHO while everyone bitches and moans about the new tax plan, the new "AHP's" in the link above really make a case to max out your HSA / FSA ( yes a FSA can be used with an HSA for glasses and dental only ) to lower your AGI to possibly offset the losses elsewhere in the code...

[grumpygresh]

This is the only thing that will work. He should raise the hardship exemption as high as possible and sink the thing fast.

But, no doubt, the Dems and insurance companies will challenge in court like the immigration restrictions.

[4yearlurker]

Mr. President, please get rid of the health care insurance mandate,and watch Obamacare just wither away.

[lee martell]

Still planning.
Not yet doing.

[bigbob]

well it will be great while it lasts...I’d say 6 hours...before a liberal judge blocks it.

[apillar]

I remember there was talk of something similar during the campaign. Obama, in order to get the union bosses on board, had a provision added to the final Obamacare bill that allowed the President through the DHHS to “waive” all requirements and penalties for any person or group they choose. Which Obama intended to use exempt the “Cadillac” union plans. However the way the law is written there is no limit, so Trump can simply exempt everybody in the country from the Obamacare requirements and penalties with a flick of the pen.

[Alberta's Child]

There's no "better late than never" here at all. The issue only rears it's ugly head at tax filing time.

President Trump indirectly waived the individual mandate for 2016 by instructing the IRS to accept tax returns in 2017 even if they didn't include the mandatory forms for documenting health coverage. This was technically a breach of his constitutional duties because he had no authority to determine that he would not enforce a clear statute, but nobody made a big deal about it because the entire country had every reason to believe that ObamaCare would be repealed in early 2017 anyway.

The IRS has already announced that the 2016 "waiver" will not be allowed again in 2017, so now the White House has to figure out another way to effectively eliminate the individual mandate in a way that fully complies with the ObamaCare statute. These "hardship exemptions" sound perfectly legitimate, and very effective as well.

[i_robot73]

Mr. Prez., how ‘bout rescinding any/all exemptions; especially that of the ‘50 employees or less’ (IIRC) that *CONGRESS* received!!!

[Paladin2]

Probably a good idea to coordinate with Cotton.

[faithhopecharity]

not nearly as good as if Congress did it
but since McShame and his bff Lindsay and McConnell and Collins have rendered Congress dysfunctional, this may be as good as we can get now

[Paulie]

Okay - I understand better now.

Thanks.

[crz]

Might as well Donald. The useless on the boar hogs CONgressss wont do anything.

Why the hell are we paying these SOBs in CONgresssss?

[Alberta's Child]

You’re welcome. I was facing an ObamaCare dilemma myself last year, so I paid close attention to the executive order to the IRS in early 2017 to make sure I did everything right.

[Revel]

So He could add a hardship exemption that anyone making less than one million dollars a year is exempt.

[Pravious]

The hardship exemption would allow Americans to avoid paying the government the $695 fine or 2.5 percent of one’s income, whichever is larger, for not obtaining health insurance.
—
Which I am STILL frosted about. How DARE the Government tell me I have to buy ANYTHING, and how dare that POS Supreme Court idiot say: “Oh, it’s just another tax!” - as if that’s not giving the government the same power to do anything they want over any aspect of our lives and making the same lame-ass excuse.

And, while I’m at it, a pox on that miserable excuse for a Congress to have this part of Obamacare active a full YEAR after the guy who swore to dismantle it took office. They are, truly, the most worthless bunch of politicians on the face of the planet - including the Democrats, who are at least loyal to their anti-American agenda.

[GOP Poet]

bookmark

[Pollster1]

Finally!