Sen. Susan Collins, who helped sink Obamacare repeal, appeared on ABC's "This Week" to talk about the state of American politics. The Republican from Maine had much to say about the Trump administration's plan to sabotage the exchanges.
“I’m very disappointed in the President’s actions of this past week,” Collins told "This Week" host George Stephanopoulos.
Trump proudly proclaimed this week that he would halt subsidies given to states to help with people's health care costs. The president knew the impact of the halted payments would likely result in higher premiums and less coverage, and suggested the Democrats should call him to make a deal.
The administration cited a "federal district court ruling that said it's unconstitutional for the president to make those payments if Congress hasn't appropriated the money for them," Axios reported. The ruling has been on the books for over a year now, and Trump has made the payments — just as former President Barack Obama did — since he has been in office.
“What the President is doing is affecting people’s access and the cost of health care right now, and I don’t agree with his decision on the subsidies,” Collins said. “Congress needs to step in, and I hope that the President will take a look at what we’re doing.”
She said if Americans can't afford their deductible, then their insurance is "pretty much useless."
The attorneys general for New York, California and over a dozen other states filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump's administration in an effort to block their decision to cut off subsidy payments made to health insurance companies that sell coverage under the Affordable Care Act.
A total of 18 states as well as Washington D.C., signed onto the lawsuit on Friday after the White House announced on Thursday that the billions of dollars in subsidies would end, according to CNBC.
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