14 October,2017 10:31 AM IST | Washington | Agencies
After undertaking the most dramatic action he has to undercut former president Barack Obama's signature healthcare law, Donald Trump urges Democrats to cut deal with him
President Donald Trump on Friday urged Democrats to make a deal with him on healthcare after he scrapped billions of dollars in Obamacare subsidies to private health insurers for low-income Americans. The Trump administration on Friday disclosed the date of the subsidies cut-off after announcing late on Thursday the most dramatic action the president has taken to undercut Democratic former President Barack Obama's signature 2010 healthcare law. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said the administration would not make the next payment to insurers scheduled for next Wednesday.
President Donald Trump signs an executive order on health care in the Roosevelt Room of the White House. Pic/AFP
The payments cost $7 billion this year and were estimated to be $10 billion in 2018, according to congressional analysts. Trump has made the payments, guaranteed to insurers under Obamacare to help lower out-of-pocket medical expenses for low-income consumers, each month since taking office in January. But he has repeatedly threatened to cut them off and disparaged them as a "bailout" for insurance companies. He also signed an executive order on Thursday intended to make it easier for Americans to buy bare-bones health insurance plans exempt from Obamacare requirements.
Major step against Iran n-deal likely
President Donald Trump is likely to take a major step against the international nuclear deal with Iran on Friday, laying out a more aggressive approach to Iranian activities in the Middle East that risks upsetting US relations with European allies. US officials said Trump was expected to announce that he will not certify the 2015 nuclear accord between Iran and six world powers.
