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Castor: Budget Cuts ‘Sabotage’ Health Care Program

Kathy Castor | U.S. Representative | Politics

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor criticized the Trump administration’s decision to slash spending on outreach to get people to sign up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act.

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, condemned the administration of President Donald Trump for severe cuts to outreach programs designed to help people sign up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act.

Castor was reacting to an announcement made Aug. 31 that Health and Human Services would cut 90 percent of the advertising budget, reducing it to $10 million from $100 million. Additional cuts would be made to the budget for the so-called navigators, who help people find the best plan for them. The navigators budget would be reduced by about 41 percent, from about $62.5 million to about $36 million.

“President Trump’s sabotage of affordable health care for hardworking families is cruel and misguided,” Castor said. “Consumers want lower costs, affordable choices and a healthy insurance market. His decision to slash outreach and marketing is a bad business decision, too. Thanks to previous outreach efforts, Floridians led the nation in sign-ups through HealthCare.gov and the Affordable Care Act. The ACA is here to stay, but it needs updating, not sabotage.

“This announcement comes just two months before open enrollment begins, and I urge my colleagues to join Democrats in stabilizing the marketplaces for 2018, including by guaranteeing cost-sharing reduction payments and ensuring Americans looking for affordable coverage have access to full information.

“The Trump Administration’s massive cuts to outreach and our ‘navigators’ will hit the University of South Florida and partners particularly hard as USF consecutively won the largest navigator grants in the country over the past two years. We all must work together to ensure that Florida families are not left in the lurch. Open enrollment runs Nov. 1 to Dec. 15.”

Castor serves as vice ranking member of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, and helped to draft the ACA. Since ACA enrollment started in 2013, Florida has led the nation in the number of sign-ups on healthcare.gov – last year 1.7 million Floridians enrolled in the ACA.

Castor represents Florida’s 14th Congressional Distict, which includes Tampa.

For information about Castor, go to castor.house.gov.

Kathy Castor | Affordable Care Act | ACA | Obamacare | Health Navigators | Tampabay News | Local News

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