There's one glaring omission in Frank Pallone's newly introduced "ACA 2.0" bill*, which sweetens ACA marketplace subsidies, funds reinsurance and advertising/outreach, fixes the family glitch and adds sundry other repairs. The new version cuts out the enhancement and extension of Cost Sharing Reduction (CSR). The bill introduced last March would have extended 94% AV CSR to 250% FPL, and offered 87% AV CSR all the way up to 400% FPL.
In conjunction with lowering the percentage of income required to buy a benchmark silver plan at all income levels, the CSR enhancements would radically reduce out-of-pocket costs at incomes ranging from 201-400% FPL, where ACA takeup has been poor. Why the cut?
One possibility occurs to me, though I'm not sure of the logic behind it (so it may be wrong, of course). ACA 2.0 is a showcase bill, with no chance of passing the Senate. Improved CSR, on the other hand, may be negotiable separately -- because the Trump administration is over a barrel with respect to CSR funding.
In conjunction with lowering the percentage of income required to buy a benchmark silver plan at all income levels, the CSR enhancements would radically reduce out-of-pocket costs at incomes ranging from 201-400% FPL, where ACA takeup has been poor. Why the cut?
One possibility occurs to me, though I'm not sure of the logic behind it (so it may be wrong, of course). ACA 2.0 is a showcase bill, with no chance of passing the Senate. Improved CSR, on the other hand, may be negotiable separately -- because the Trump administration is over a barrel with respect to CSR funding.
