Biden Announces Healthcare Reforms on 'Junk' Plans

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Jul 07, 2023

Image copyright: President Joe Biden [via Wikimedia Commons]story last updated Jul 07, 2023

The Facts

US Pres. Biden unveiled a set of healthcare reforms aimed at cracking down on so-called "junk" insurance plans aimed at preventing surprise medical bills and reducing interest charges on credit cards used specifically for medical treatment.
The new regulation will roll back a 2018 Trump-era policy that extended the availability of short-term health insurance plans from three months to up to 12 months and could be subsequently renewed. The plans were also renewable and lacked Obamacare benefits such as maternity coverage and coverage of pre-existing conditions.

The Spin

Narrative A

This reform is undoing the damage to Americans from junk, short-term health insurance programs that don’t provide adequate coverage while springing surprise fees. This policy will help working-class Americans save their hard-earned money, and Biden has a proven track record of fighting against predatory corporations that exploit loopholes to unjustly charge Americans hundreds of dollars in fees. This more robust level of regulation will curb health insurance scamming.

Politico

Narrative B

This policy from Biden aligns with other establishment shills that have consistently exploited the most vulnerable. The Biden admin. has kicked millions off Medicaid and done nothing to help people get the care they need. Reducing the marketplace of affordable short-term health insurance options is a bad policy in a gig economy.