Trump Might Replace ACA, Oz Says; 25 States Will Halt SNAP Amid Shutdown
CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” on Wednesday that President Donald Trump "has a plan" to redo Obamacare, which is at the heart of the federal shutdown. Oz didn't offer specifics but said, "There’s all kinds of ideas.” Meanwhile, dozens of states say they don't have enough funding to run the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program after Nov. 1.
Politico:
At Least 25 States Plan To Cut Off Food Aid Benefits In November
Millions of low-income Americans will lose access to food aid on Nov. 1, when half of states plan to cut off benefits due to the government shutdown. Twenty-five states told POLITICO that they are issuing notices informing participants of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — the nation’s largest anti-hunger initiative — that they won’t receive checks next month. Those states include California, Alabama, Arkansas, Hawaii, Indiana, Mississippi and New Jersey. Others didn’t respond to requests for comment in time for publication. (Yarrow, 10/23)
KTLA:
Gov. Newsom To Deploy National Guard To Support Food Banks, Fast-Track Food Benefit Funding Amid Government Shutdown
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday that he will deploy the California National Guard and state volunteers on a humanitarian mission to food banks in response to the ongoing federal government shutdown. “Trump’s failure isn’t abstract – it’s literally taking food out of people’s mouths," Newsom said. The National Guard will not be acting as law enforcement; instead, it will be supporting food banks, according to the governor’s office. The National Guard held a similar role during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Palm, 10/22)
The Colorado Sun:
Colorado Food Banks Plead For Help As Food Assistance Is Cut Off
Food banks across Colorado are pleading for extra donations this week ahead of an expected Nov. 1 cutoff of food assistance benefits because of the federal government shutdown. (Brown and Dolven, 10/22)
More on Obamacare and the federal shutdown —
NBC News:
Oz Says Trump Has A Plan To Replace Obamacare
Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, suggested Wednesday that President Donald Trump has a plan to replace the Affordable Care Act — but provided no specifics about the proposal. “I fully believe the president has a plan,” Oz told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker. “We’ve been talking about it quite a bit. There’s all kinds of ideas.” (Lovelace Jr., 10/22)
AP:
Sen. Jeff Merkley Stages Marathon Speech To Protest Trump
Led by Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley, Democrats seized the Senate floor on Wednesday to protest President Donald Trump’s presidency amid the government shutdown and push for Republicans to negotiate with them on expiring health subsidies. Merkley spoke for more than 22 hours — from 6:21 p.m. Tuesday to 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday — pausing for lengthy questions from other Democratic senators. His speech was one of the longest in Senate history, just short of a similar speech in April by Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey. (Jalonick, 10/22)
The Hill:
Trump Pollster: ObamaCare Subsidy Extension Key For GOP Ahead Of Midterms
New findings from a Trump-aligned pollster released Wednesday show a majority of voters want Congress to extend enhanced ObamaCare tax credits and would be less likely to vote for a candidate who lets those tax credits expire. The poll from John McLaughlin, commissioned by the conservative group Americans for a Balanced Budget, highlights the political importance of the tax credits ahead of the midterm elections and the peril facing Republicans who oppose an extension. (Weixel, 10/22)
The Boston Globe:
Mass Notifications Announce ACA Exchange Insurance Rate Hikes
Massachusetts has begun notifying people who receive health insurance through the Affordable Care Act’s exchange how much their premiums would increase without the federal subsidies that are due to expire at the end of the year. The state is among the first in the nation to provide specifics on how much more expensive insurance could become for the roughly 24 million people nationwide who rely on the exchanges for affordable health insurance. (Laughlin, 10/22)
The CT Mirror:
CT Tells Residents: Hold Off On ACA Enrollment Amid Shutdown
State officials are striking a different tone this year in their advice to Connecticut residents looking to enroll in health plans through Access Health CT, the state’s health insurance exchange. “If you could, wait a little bit longer,” Access Health CT CEO James Michel told residents during a press conference on Tuesday. “Instead of enrolling on November 1, give it more time, because I know there’s conversations going on right now to try to get the subsidies resolved.” (Golvala, 10/22)
Military.com:
Tricare Open Season Is On Time Despite Shutdown. Here’s What’s Affected
Open enrollment for 2026 Tricare coverage will take place on time despite the government shutdown, officials told Military.com, while some Tricare services under existing plans are already suspended or likely delayed. The monthlong open enrollment period is scheduled for Nov. 10-Dec. 9. During open enrollment, or open season, beneficiaries may make changes to their Tricare coverage for the upcoming year. Tricare users who want to keep the same coverage don’t need to do anything during open enrollment. (Miller, 10/22)
The Texas Tribune:
Feds Cut Program To Help Texans Find Insurance
About this time of year, Foundation Communities would be getting its latest group of specially trained staff members ready to help more than 6,800 Central Texans sign up for Affordable Care Act insurance coverage. For years, the Austin-based housing nonprofit has, through its Prosper Health Coverage program, used about $2.4 million in federal grant funding each year to hire a team of “navigators,” who help enroll Texans who either don’t have health insurance through their workplace or do not qualify for Medicaid and would like coverage in the federal health insurance marketplace established under the Affordable Care Act. (Langford, 10/22)
Also —
MedPage Today:
'Alternative' To CDC's Flagship Journal In The Works
A public health group and a top-tier journal will partner to publish an alternative to the CDC's flagship weekly publication that has been diminished under the Trump administration. The Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota, and NEJM Evidence, will establish a field notes-style publication, CIDRAP director Michael Osterholm, PhD, MPH, announced at the IDWeek conference in Atlanta. (Fiore, 10/22)
AP:
USDA Reopens County Offices To Support Farmers Despite The Ongoing Government Shutdown
The Agriculture Department will reopen about 2,100 county offices all across the country Thursday despite the ongoing government shutdown to help farmers and ranchers get access to $3 billion of aid from existing programs. The USDA said each Farm Service Agency office will have two workers who will be paid even though the government remains shutdown. These offices help farmers apply for farm loans, crop insurance, disaster aid and other programs. Thousands of other federal employees like air traffic controllers are working without pay during the shutdown. (Funk, 10/22)
