Registration for Obamacare coverage saw a dramatic spike on Wednesday, the day following Donald Trump’s presidential election victory, the Obama administration said Thursday, with more than 100,000 new registrations.
“Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell announced the news in a tweet,” said USA Today. “The new number represented the people who submitted an application and chose a plan on Healthcare.gov Wednesday.”
Open enrollment for 2017 began on Nov. 1, coming on the heels of an admission by the federal government that Obamacare premiums would rise, on average, 22 percent over last year’s price tag.
Mr. Trump made repealing and replacing the Obamacare healthcare overhaul a major theme of his campaign in its waning days, and on Thursday after a meeting with Republican leaders on Capitol Hill, he similarly pledged health care reform to be one of his top three priorities upon assuming office.
Both House Speaker Paul D. Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have signaled an eagerness to tackling repeal legislation, hoping to send the bill to Mr. Trump’s desk for passage.
For their part, lobbyists for the health insurance industry are signaling their desire to ensure any changes made to the health care system are done gradually enough to reassure both the industry and consumers.
“We also have a commitment to continuous coverage,” said Kristine Grow of America’s Health Insurance Plans, reported USA Today. “Consumers should be covered and patients should be protected — and sudden disruptions would jeopardize both.”
Please read our comment policy before commenting.