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Saturday 9 June 2018
GOP risks fallout from Justice Department move on health law

By RICARDO ALONSO- subsidies.
ZALDIVAR Loosening the health law’s
Associated Press rules on pre-existing con-
WASHINGTON (AP) — The ditions and on charging
Trump administration’s de- more to older adults is a key
cision to stop defending in goal for the Trump adminis-
court the Obama health tration.
law’s popular protections Partly that’s because those
for consumers with pre- consumer protections also
existing conditions could raise premiums across the
prove risky for Republicans board, as the cost of cov-
in the midterm elections — ering the sick is spread
and nudge premiums even among all customers, in-
higher. cluding healthier people
The Justice Department who previously benefited
said in a court filing late from lower rates.
Thursday that it will no lon- Indeed, people who pay
ger defend key parts of the the full cost of their individ-
Affordable Care Act, be- ual health plans and aren’t
ginning with the unpopular eligible for subsidies under
requirement that people the health law have been
carry health insurance, clamoring for relief from
but also including widely- several years of double-
supported provisions that In this April 25, 2018, file photo, Attorney General Jeff Sessions speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington. digit premium increases.
guarantee access for peo- Associated Press “You can definitely as-
ple with medical problems not be separated from the have gotten to be an issue Chuck Schumer of New sume Democrats will use
and limit what insurers can unpopular insurance man- that people walking on the York urged President Don- it to whip up their side,”
charge older, sicker adults. date, which Congress has streets understand ... it’s ald Trump to reverse the said Wilensky, administra-
Friday, the insurance indus- repealed, effective next very emotional.” decision. tor of Medicare under for-
try warned in stark terms of year. Some Democratic politi- Administration officials at mer President George H.W.
“harm that would come That argument is likely to cians didn’t waste much the departments of Health Bush. “For the people not
to millions of Americans” if be lost on consumers, said time. and Human Services and affected by the ACA, or
such protections are struck Robert Blendon, a poll- “Democrats will not allow Treasury would not com- not particularly supportive,
down, causing premiums ing expert at the Harvard Republicans to get away ment, instead pointing to I don’t know that it will mat-
“to go even higher for older T.H. Chan School of Public with quietly trying to strip the Justice Department fil- ter much.”
Americans and sicker pa- Health — particularly in the away pre-existing condi- ing, which said other parts The issues in the court case
tients.” heat of an election that will tions protections for millions of the health law would are unlikely to be resolved
Weighing in on a Texas determine control of Con- of Americans through a le- continue to stand, includ- quickly, but some experts
challenge to the health gress. gal backdoor,” said Rep. ing its Medicaid expansion said the added uncertainty
law, the Justice Depart- “The pre-existing condition Frank Pallone, D-N.J., a covering about 12 million could prompt insurers to
ment argued that legally thing is what the ads will spokesman for his party on low-income people. HHS seek higher premiums in
and practically the popular be run on,” said Blendon. health care. and Treasury administer the 2019 for health plans sold
consumer protections can- “Pre-existing conditions Senate Democratic Leader health law’s coverage and to individuals.q

New charges filed against

Manafort in Russia probe

tin Kilimnik just days after ture of their work. The charges mark the
prosecutors accused the Through a spokesman, second time since Octo-
two men of attempting to Manafort has maintained ber that an indictment
tamper with witnesses as his innocence. The spokes- against Manafort has been
Manafort awaits trial of fel- man, Jason Maloni, said Fri- amended to include addi-
ony charges related to his day that Manafort and his tional allegations.
work on behalf of Ukrainian attorneys were reviewing The latest charges increase
interests. the new charges. Manafort’s legal jeopardy
The indictment charges Kilimnik has previously de- if he continues to refuse to
both men with obstruction clined to comment on the cooperate with prosecu-
of justice and conspiracy to allegations. tors, and could be an ef-
In this Feb. 14, 2018, file photo, Paul Manafort, President Donald obstruct justice related to Prosecutors say the con- fort by Mueller to induce a
Trump’s former campaign chairman, leaves the federal contacts they had with two tacts via phone and en- guilty plea and secure the
courthouse in Washington. witnesses earlier this year. crypted messaging ap- testimony of a critical cam-
Associated Press The witnesses, who had plications first occurred paign adviser to Trump.
By CHAD DAY and ERIC Donald Trump’s campaign worked with Manafort as he in February, shortly after Manafort is awaiting trial in
TUCKER chairman and a longtime represented a pro-Russian a grand jury returned a federal court in Washington
Associated Press associate, accusing them political party in Ukraine, new indictment against and Alexandria, Virginia. His
WASHINGTON (AP) — Spe- of obstructing justice. have told the FBI that they Manafort and while he was co-defendant, Rick Gates,
cial counsel Robert Muel- The new charges were un- believed Manafort and confined to his home. Kilim- pleaded guilty in February
ler has brought additional sealed Friday against Paul Kilimnik were trying to get nik also reached out to wit- and agreed to cooperate
charges against President Manafort and Konstan- them to lie about the na- nesses in April. with prosecutors.q