It’s Not Likely Court Will Order Administration To Pay Subsidies, But That Hasn’t Stopped States From Suing
Nearly 20 states, including California, have sued over President Donald Trump's decision to stop the insurer subsidies. But, “Forcing an administration to continue making payments when the president believes there is no appropriation, and when Congress believes there’s no appropriation, would be a pretty extreme move by the court," said Nicholas Bagley, a professor at the University of Michigan Law School.
Politico:
Epic Legal Battles Shaping Up Over Trump's Scrapping Of Obamacare Subsidies
President Donald Trump's move to cut off critical Obamacare subsidies will almost surely be tied up in the courts for years as Democratic-led states seek injunctions, while insurers seek to recover payments they say they’re owed. It's impossible to predict whether a judge might order the administration to continue the payments while the lawsuits are heard, but at least some legal experts express doubts. (Demko and Pradhan, 10/13)
San Francisco Chronicle:
California To Sue Trump Administration Over Health Insurance Subsidies
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said Friday he will sue the Trump administration for halting billions of dollars in federal payments to health insurers that help low-income Americans afford health care under the Affordable Care Act. The payments, known as cost-sharing subsidies, were created under the ACA to help insurers lower out-of-pocket costs for millions of Americans who buy health insurance through the exchange. (Ho, 10/13)
Sacramento Bee:
California Sues Trump To Preserve Obamacare
“Undermining the Affordable Care Act has been Donald Trump’s and many Republicans’ plans for a long time,” Becerra said. “It’s long past time that President Trump learned that he doesn’t get to just pick and choose which laws he’ll follow, and which bills he’ll pay.” (Hart and Ashton, 10/13)
KQED:
California Sues Trump Administration Over Obamacare Payments
The President is constitutionally required to execute the laws of the United States in good faith, Becerra argued, including the Affordable Care Act. Moves that could undermine the health insurance markets, he reasoned, are unconstitutional. (Lagos and Dembosky, 10/13)
Los Angeles Times:
California Joins Other States To Sue Trump Administration Over Rollback Of Healthcare Subsidies
“The president can’t pick and choose which laws he wishes to follow,” Becerra said. The federal action, he said, is “essentially a $7-billion dollar tax increase for working families trying to hold onto their health insurance.” (McGreevy, 10/13)