White House can continue withholding health subsidies, judge rules

States had called for federal government to continue making payments as broader case over subsidies makes its way through courts

A US judge has ruled that the government does not have to immediately resume paying Affordable Care Act healthcare subsidies that Donald Trump cut off.

Eighteen state attorneys general, led by the California Democrat Xavier Becerra, argued the monthly payments were required under Barack Obama’s healthcare law and cutting them off would harm consumers.

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Number of US adults without health insurance up 3.5m this year, study finds

Rising premiums and political turmoil over Obamacare undermine the gains that drove the nation’s uninsured rate to a historic low

The number of US adults without health insurance is up nearly 3.5 million this year, as rising premiums and political turmoil over Obamacare undermine coverage gains that drove the nation’s uninsured rate to a historic low.

Related: 'He keeps zigging and zagging': the perils of doing a healthcare deal with Trump

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‘He keeps zigging and zagging’: the perils of doing a healthcare deal with Trump

This week, senators moved to salvage the Obamacare subsidies Trump cut – but Washington remains confused over which way the president is swinging

Chuck Schumer was at the gym when his phone rang, just over a week after the latest version of the Republican effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act foundered. It was Donald Trump calling the most senior Democrat in the Senate with an idea.

Related: Senators reach bipartisan deal to salvage Obamacare subsidies Trump eliminated

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Senators reach bipartisan deal to salvage Obamacare subsidies Trump eliminated

Republican Lamar Alexander and Democrat Patty Murray reach deal to help insurance companies cover medical needs of low-income Americans

Senators have moved to salvage Obamacare following Donald Trump’s decision last week to scrap critical subsidies that underpin the health law.

Republican senator Lamar Alexander announced on Tuesday that he had reached a deal with Democrat Patty Murray to fund the federal payments – intended to help insurance companies cover the medical needs of low-income Americans – in exchange for allowing states more regulatory flexibility under the Affordable Care Act.

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Trump claims ‘Obamacare is dead’ despite failure to repeal legislation

  • ‘It’s gone. There is no such thing as Obamacare any more’
  • President slashed federal healthcare subsidies for lower-income Americans

Donald Trump on Monday absolved himself of responsibility for Republicans’ failure to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and predicted that voters will blame Democrats if the law crumbles under a sustained assault from his administration.

Related: McConnell and Trump meet for lunch after Bannon calls for Republican 'war'

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Bannon says Trump will ‘blow up’ Obamacare as subsidies cut stokes fires

  • Moderate Collins and Democrat Murphy decry cut to low-income help
  • Trump responds to healthcare critics with claim ‘millions’ will benefit

A day after Steve Bannon seemed to confirm Donald Trump’s intent to destroy the Affordable Care Act (ACA), saying the president was “gonna blow that thing up”, a Republican senator who helped dynamite two Republican replacement bills said Trump was hurting American citizens.

Related: Steve Bannon renews call for war on Rep...

Trump responds to critics of healthcare order with claim ‘millions’ will benefit

The president tweeted Saturday that he’s ‘very proud’ of executive order, despite analysts, politicians and others saying millions of people would in fact suffer

Donald Trump on Saturday heralded his latest moves to undermine Barack Obama’s signature healthcare law, tweeting that “millions of people” would benefit from his executive order on access to cheaper insurance and his scrapping of federal subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Related: 'He is failing': Trump strikes out solo as friends worry and enemies circle

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Trump plants bomb, says Obamacare ‘imploding’

• President ends subsidies for poor … opens door for flimsy insurance plans … threatens Iran deal … vows love for Puerto Rico

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Trump planted a time bomb under the Affordable Care Act by scrapping vital federal subsidies that help insurers extend quality coverage to low-income recipients. Then Trump said Obamacare was “imploding”.

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