Question: I just read that Trump has cancelled Obamacare subsidies. WTF? Does that affect Covered California too?

Answer: Trump recently cancelled the funding for Obamacare subsidies called “Cost Savings Reductions” which lower the out-of-pocket expenses like deductibles and copays for the lowest income portion of the ACA market. The funding for CSRs had been on shaky ground from the beginning. Fortunately, Covered California anticipated the latest political maneuver to sabotage Obamacare. What that means to you is that your Silver Level coverage will continue unchanged for 2018. The rate increased considerably, but so did the subsidy, resulting in a net premium that’s not too much more than you paid this year. The 2018 Covered California rates for Silver Plans, the only plans that include the CSR benefits, include an average 12% increase to cover defunding the CSR. A new bipartisan bill to fund the CSRs has Trump’s support and looks promising, but it’s unlikely that it will become law quickly enough to reduce Silver Plan rates before Open Enrollment for 2018 closes.