Judge Halts Trump-Era ACA Rule Changes Protecting 1.8M Americans
A federal judge in Baltimore has temporarily halted several provisions of an Affordable Care Act regulation proposed under the Trump administration. The ruling, made by US District Judge Brendan Hurson, appointed by former President Joe Biden, could prevent around 1.8 million Americans from losing their health insurance. The judge agreed with the cities' arguments that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) lacked authority to enact some of the changes or that they violated existing federal law.
The paused provisions, set to take effect on 25 August 2025, include additional income verification requirements, allowing insurers to exclude enrollees with unpaid premiums, and imposing a $5 premium on certain consumers until they verify eligibility for federal premium subsidies. The judge stated that without the block, the cities would 'suffer significant and irreparable harm' due to increased uninsured and underinsured residents straining city-run health care services and budgets. The ruling prevents the administration from implementing the blocked measures while the lawsuit continues. A parallel case filed by Democratic attorneys general is under review in Massachusetts, where a federal judge has yet to issue a decision.
The CMS finalised the rule in June, stating it was designed to curb improper enrolments and ensure the integrity of Obamacare exchanges. However, Judge Hurson's ruling has put this into question, potentially protecting millions of Americans' access to health insurance while the lawsuit proceeds.
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