Medicaid grew under former President Barack Obama, who gave states the option of expanding eligibility for the program to millions of people who live above the poverty line. Thirty-one states and the District of Columbia have expanded their programs.
Republicans who are advocating repeal of the Affordable Care Act haven’t said whether they will force those states to roll back their Medicaid programs.
Conway also reiterated Trump’s promise that “everybody” will have insurance coverage under his Obamacare alternative.
“President Trump has said that people will not go without coverage. And he means that,” she said. “That is certainly part of the official plans that are being worked on.”
However, she said that health care for all didn’t mean the president advocates universal coverage or a single-payer health plan.
“What he means is that no one will go without coverage,” Conway said. “There will be ways for people to access affordable, quality health insurance if they’d like to get it.”
Conway said voters can also expect an Obamacare replacement to include wider use of health savings accounts, which allow people to save money tax-free to help pay for their medical costs.
Critics say such accounts don’t help low-income people who struggle to pay health insurance premiums because many don’t have extra money to put aside. Also, they often pay little or no income tax, so such an account doesn’t give them a boost.
Health savings accounts, depending on how they’re structured, can help wealthy people however. That’s because they allow people with high incomes and who pay a high rate of high tax to shelter more of their money from federal taxes.
Article Appeared @http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/01/22/510984148/republican-plan-to-replace-obamacare-would-turn-medicaid-over-to-states