Donnelly Says Senate Will Look To Protect Health Care Subsidies

U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) says the Senate will aim to prevent President Donald Trump from cutting off subsidies provided by the Affordable Care Act.

Through the Affordable Care Act, the government provides subsidies for co-pays and deductibles to help reduce the cost of insurance to consumers.

Trump has threatened for months to cut off those subsidies. And he’s ramped up that rhetoric in recent days – notably in the wake of the Senate’s failure to advance health care reform legislation.

Donnelly says he spoke with Health Committee Chair Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tennessee) about the issue just before Congress took its August break.

“And as soon as we come back, we’re putting forward legislation to ensure that those payments are made,” Donnelly says.

Gov. Eric Holcomb says he wants Hoosiers concerned about the president’s threats to know Indiana will try to provide for their health care needs.

“I’m just encouraging our friends in Washington, D.C. to give us that latitude,” Holcomb says.

The Senate is scheduled to return to session the first week of September.