Trump to meet with ‘Obamacare victims’ in Wisconsin

Among those he is scheduled to meet within Wisconsin are Robert Stoll from Burlington, a volunteer captain for the Randall Fire Department whose premiums have soared, and Michael Kushman of Marinette, who lost an employer-sponsored plan and was sent to purchase increasingly expensive coverage on the exchange.

Trump also met last week with families hurt by rising Obamacare premiums in Ohio.

Stoll was a small business owner for more than 30 years and was formerly insured through his small business. Following the recession, he closed his shop and retired, and was enrolled into a high-risk pool. Following Obamacare’s enactment, however, the high-risk pool disbanded, and he and his wife, Sarah, had the option to buy coverage on the Obamacare exchanges or pay a penalty to abide by the law’s individual manate. The plan’s premiums grew from $780 to $1,500 per month. Sarah took on a part-time job to help pay for the plans, but then the Stolls no longer qualified for federal tax subsidies.

In 2015, the Kushmans were sent from their employer plan to the exchanges to buy coverage, which cost $625 a month and no longer covered Kushman’s doctor. In 2016, the Kushmans had to shift to a different plan after their insurer pulled out of the exchange, and the cost of the monthly premium rose to $1,020 a month. The Kushmans again had to change plans to a premium of $1,422 a month.

Trump is scheduled to deliver a speech on healthcare after his meeting with the Kushmans and the Stolls. The events follow a speech delivered against Obamacare by Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday, as well as reports about dwindling health insurance options available to people on the exchanges.

The Department of Health and Human Services released a report Monday that showed fewer people were keeping their healthcare plans sold on the Obamacare exchanges, in part because of affordability, and a second report Tuesday showing that a growing number of counties are facing one or no tax-subsidized insurance options.

The Senate is working on a bill to repeal and replace portions of Obamacare but hasn’t made its text public. Republicans have seized on the news about insurance company exits and rising as evidence that Obamacare isn’t working and have blamed Democrats for being unwilling to assist in healthcare legislative efforts.

“2 million more people just dropped out of Obamacare. It is in a death spiral. Obstructionist Democrats gave up, have no answer = resist!” Trump tweeted Tuesday.

The law’s defenders have countered that the administration has injected uncertainty into the market.