Trump falsely claims ACA open enrollment could be delayed

Donald Trump has been telling supporters and reporters that President Barack Obama is trying to delay open enrollment on health insurance exchanges until after Election Day—but the start date has been set in stone for months.

In a Washington Post fact check, Trump is quoted three times giving examples of some of the biggest premium increases requested by marketplace insurers and making the false claim about the changing date.

“On November 1, just before the election on November 8, new numbers are coming out which will show 40-, 50-, 60-percent increases. They want to delay it until after the election, because it’s election. It’s a disaster,” Trump said at Sept. 16 campaign rally.

While state-by-state weighted average increases go as high as Oklahoma’s 71 percent, the average hike nationwide will be 24 percent.

Premiums for the lowest-cost silver-level plans, often considered the benchmark premiums for the exchanges, will go up by just 9 percent, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

On the claim of enrollment being delayed, a Trump campaign spokesman told the Post it was based on the fact “some rates are still pending approval.” State insurance regulators are reviewing rate requests and all will have to be made public before enrollees start shopping for 2017 coverage.

If that date were to be changed, CMS would’ve been required to propose it months ago. The Nov. 1 date was set in regulations published in March.

“Dates for the upcoming Open Enrollment are the same as this past year and have already been finalized through rule-making in CMS's annual payment notice published this spring. They won’t be moved,” HHS said in a statement.

For more on what the Post calls a “classic Trump claim,” click on the link below: 

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John Gregory, Senior Writer

John joined TriMed in 2016, focusing on healthcare policy and regulation. After graduating from Columbia College Chicago, he worked at FM News Chicago and Rivet News Radio, and worked on the state government and politics beat for the Illinois Radio Network. Outside of work, you may find him adding to his never-ending graphic novel collection.

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