Oct 12, 2017
Administration Moves to Circumvent Affordable Care Act
PPU: 10.12.17
Today President Trump signed an executive order directing his government to allow trade associations and other groups to offer their own health plans. This is seen as expanding cheaper insurance options while also destabilizing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace.
These association health plans would be exempt from some of the ACA requirements, including the ten essential benefits, which include Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatment. Critics of the move believe that younger, healthier customers will opt for the new plans, leaving high-cost enrollees in the existing plans, which will further increase costs for those enrolled in the existing ACA plans.
The executive order also directs the federal government to lift limits on short-term insurance plans, which also are not required to include SUD treatment as a benefit. The third element expands a program allowing employers to set aside pre-tax dollars to help pay workers’ insurance premiums.
The National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers supports efforts to expand coverage for SUD rather than restrict it. We encourage Congress to work on a bi-partisan basis to fix problems with the ACA and continue to ensure that SUD is covered.
Mark Dunn
NAATP Director of Public Policy
Washington, DC
