Following his rhetoric from over the weekend, President Donald Trump tweeted Monday morning questioning why Obamacare shouldn’t “hurt” insurance companies and why “should Congress not be paying what public pays?”
If ObamaCare is hurting people, & it is, why shouldn't it hurt the insurance companies & why should Congress not be paying what public pays?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 31, 2017
The comments follow threats he made on social media over the weekend to end “BAILOUTS for Insurance Companies and BAILOUTS for Members of Congress” if Republicans couldn’t come to an agreement on Obamacare repeal, apparently alluding to cutting cost sharing reduction payments to insurance companies and an employer contribution to lawmakers’ health insurance.
On Sunday, White House adviser Kellyanne Conway said the President would decide on whether to end these Obamacare subsidies this week.
Trump’s tweets closely resemble remarks White House budget chief Mick Mulvaney made about the issue on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday.
“I think his attitude is this, and his attitude is pretty simple,” Mulvaney said. “What he’s saying is, look, if Obamacare is hurting people — and it is — then why shouldn’t it hurt insurance companies and more importantly perhaps for this discussion, members of Congress?”