If Donald Trump has failed to make good on at least one of his campaign promises, “Cheaper and better health insurance for all” is the one. In fact, his party and his administration are hell-bent to make health insurance cost more and even become out of reach for families on a budget. Worse, some of their actions, if successful, would end all affordable coverage including treatment of pre-existing conditions.

The GOP has tried before to either subvert the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or completely destroy it. Now they have some new stealth tactics and they just might succeed.

The part of their scheme already implemented is to let the healthy go free without insurance and soak those who need it. The Trump administration did this to placate the better heeled who made too much money to qualify for subsidies and did not want all of the bells and whistles and those who felt confident they would never get sick and were never hurt in an accident. With an executive order the Trump administration removed the requirement that all must have health care coverage whether they were healthy or not or pay a penalty. Trump reduced the penalty to $0. Most insurance plans covering casualties mix those they think will not use their coverage with those who think or know they will. This varied pool spreads the risk around and keeps premiums to all lowered. This order makes the pool left with more of the sick in it who file expensive claims, raising premium costs or deductibles for everyone.

Another GOP backed action would kick budget conscious families where it really hurts. It would jeopardize affordable coverage of pre-existing conditions as it takes down the entire the ACA (Obamacare) with it, premium subsidies, Medicaid expansion and all, leaving 17 million unable to afford health insurance. They are doing this through a law suit in the courts to try to declare the entire ACA unconstitutional. The Trump administration has announced it will not defend the ACA against a GOP initiated Texas court case that seeks to declare the entire ACA unconstitutional. Twenty GOP state attorney generals have jointed in the suit. That case could make it to the Supreme Court, now firmly dominated by GOP conservatives.

The Colorado Attorney General race on the ballot Nov. 6 has no incumbent, but the Democrat, Phil Weiser, is committed to defending the ACA. His GOP opponent, George Brauchler, is vague, leaving the ACA up to Congress.

Particularly angering voters is the GOP engineering the loss of pre-existing conditions coverage. Twenty-seven percent of Americans between 18 and 64 have pre-existing conditions. Under the ACA provisions, those with pre-existing conditions do not pay more than those who do not have them. Pre-existing conditions range from cancer and heart problems to high blood pressure to pregnancy.

Both GOP legislators and Donald Trump pay lip service to retaining coverage of pre-existing coverage. The Trump administration argues that only the portion of health care pertaining to pre-existing conditions would be removed by the Texas court case. Some GOP members of Congress propose to “save” coverage of the pre-existing conditions part of the ACA if it is destroyed and the rest of the ACA is left standing by the courts. That bill is a deceptive and useless ploy. Not only does their bill not tell at what price you will be charged for coverage, it does not require insurers to cover treatment. It would still permit higher premium costs for factors such as age, sex and where you live.

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