Administration to end CSR payments to insurers

The Trump administration will stop making cost-sharing reduction payments to health insurers, the White House announced last night. Insurers use the federal payments to reduce out-of-pocket costs for low-income individuals purchasing coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplaces. The Congressional Budget Office in August estimated that premiums for silver-level plans would be 20% higher in 2018 and 25% higher in 2026 if the CSR payments were to end. CBO also estimated the changes would increase the federal deficit by $194 billion from 2018 through 2026.