Life

Single Moms Could Lose Coverage Under The AHCA

by Casey Suglia

As the finer details of the Trump administration's Affordable Care Act replacement continue to be revealed, people have established a clearer picture as to what the president's plan entails — and it's not pretty. While the cost of health insurance has been a major point of discussion throughout President Trump's time in office and on the campaign trail, coverage — and people's ability to access it — has become an even bigger issue. According to a report from the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, an estimated 14 million people are expected to lose their health insurance by 2018 as a result of the new act. So with millions at risk, how many single moms would lose coverage under Trumpcare?

Defenders of Trumpcare believe that the new plan will provide more choices for those who need health care and better, more affordable plans, according to ABC News. House Speaker Paul Ryan has said that Trumpcare "will lower premiums and improve access to affordable, quality care." However, if Trumpcare is passed that might not exactly be the case. The amount of single mothers who will lose coverage under Trumpcare is a bit unclear at the moment, but the loss of certain mandates could definitely put what the Census Bureau estimates to be 9.6 million single mothers in the United States (and their children) at risk of losing coverage.

Win McNamee/Getty Images News/Getty Images

As previously mentioned, according to the CBO's report, by next year, more than 14 million people could be without insurance due to the repealing of penalties under the current Affordable Care Act. According to the report, this would occur because some people would opt out of insurance to avoid paying the higher premiums, forcing up costs for everyone else, and pushing millions of lower income recipients out of their current plans because they wouldn't be able to afford them.

More specifically, Trumpcare won't be any cheaper for single moms: According to MSNBC, some states could see their tax credits cut, reducing the affordability of insurance plans and making it harder for a single mother to keep herself and her kids covered. As the CBO report confirms, insurance costs would rise 15 to 20 percent for those who remain on the individual market.

Additionally, changes to the Medicaid program could increase the number of uninsured people to 24 million in 2026. Single mothers who rely on Medicaid would definitely be at risk in this instance, because, as The Chicago Tribune reported, Trumpcare would reduce Obama's Medicaid subsidies, causing some states to tighten requirements or cut benefits altogether.

Single working mothers could be at risk for losing their insurance too: As Forbes pointed out, the CBO estimates that 7 million people could lose employer-provided insurance if Trumpcare goes into effect, as it would eliminate the clause that states businesses with 50 or more full-time employees must provide insurance to their workers.

Services that single mothers and their children rely on, such as Planned Parenthood's various health care screenings and procedures, could also be cut, according to ThinkProgress. Defunding Planned Parenthood, which Trumpcare would do, would eliminate crucial health care services for women and their kids, including (but certainly not limited to) anemia testing, cholesterol screenings, physical exams, cancer screenings, birth control education, STD tests, and prenatal care. On top of the already spiking cost of health care in general, the loss of those services could be devastating.

No mother should ever have to worry about themselves or their child losing their health insurance. As Paul Ryan stated, everyone should have access to affordable, quality care — but Trumpcare does not make it easier for single mothers and their children to afford or actually use it.