PART 2: This is what sabotage looks like.
Well, here we are again. Another day, another example of the Trump Administration sabotaging the Affordable Care Act. Buzzfeed reports that the Department of Health and Human Services is not sending regional directors to states before open enrollment begins. These regional directors are essential to coordinating the enrollment and training local navigators to help Americans sign up for coverage.
From slashing the budget for enrollment and shutting down access to healthcare.gov to refusing to provide resources and hold events to enroll Americans in coverage, this is sabotage. There isn't another word for it. From Buzzfeed:
“Regional representatives from the Department of Health and Human Services will not be participating in open enrollment events in the states as they have in years past, according to an administration source and an email sent to health advocates in Mississippi obtained by BuzzFeed News.”
“The source, who had direct knowledge of the change, told BuzzFeed News that all of the department’s 10 regional directors were told to not to participate in state-based events promoting open enrollment — a significant change from years past.”
“The move follows a trend by the Trump administration of stepping away from past federal assistance for Obamacare and, particularly, of dialing back resources for the upcoming open enrollment period.”
“‘I will certainly miss the interaction and an opportunity to share departmental updates and positions, even though they have changed drastically,’ wrote Deric Gilliard, a public affairs specialist from HHS’s regional Atlanta office.”
“The Trump administration has increasingly been taking a hands-off approach to the Obamacare markets, as Republicans in Congress have failed to repeal the law. In August, HHS announced it was cutting its Obamacare enrollment advertising budget by 90%, from $100 million down to $10 million. The administration is also shutting down healthcare.govevery Sunday from 12 a.m. to 12 p.m. throughout the open enrollment period.”