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What to know about the Affordable Care Act's open enrollment period now underway
The sign-up window for the marketplace, also known as Obamacare, starts Sunday in most states and runs through Jan. 15.
Affordable Care Act open enrollment: Americans face higher costs and fewer options
The sign-up window for the marketplace, also known as Obamacare, starts Sunday in most states and runs through Jan. 15
Why 2026 Is a Health Care Election
_Ypsilanti, Michigan_THE MIDTERM ELECTION IS ABOUT a lot of things: gas prices and groceries, the spread of corruption, and the future of democracy. And yet, as much as any single issue, it’s about health care. You can tell by listening to all the Democrats talking about high deductibles, drug costs, and insurance companies as they campaign around the country. Or you can tell by reading all the public-opinion surveys in which voters consistently rank health care as one of their top concerns. But if you really want to know why this is a health care election, your best source isn’t the politicians or the pollsters. It’s the people on the front lines. One of them is Raymond Rion, a family medicine physician and executive director of Packard Health, a small network of clinics spanning Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti on the western outskirts of the Detroit metro area. Packard is what’s known as a Federally Qualified Health Center, where anybody can get care regardless of income or insurance status. And like similar safety-net providers all over America, for the past decade it has benefited directly from the Affordable Care Act. “We almost went bankrupt in 2011,” Rion told me in a conversation last week, recalling how in the old days staff at Packard would work the phones furiously to get supplies and find specialists who would take referrals. Now many more patients have either Medicaid or private coverage they’ve purchased through HealthCare.gov, the online marketplace that the law created, so that the proportion of uninsured patients has fallen from around one in three to one in ten. It’s a lot easier to find referrals for these insured patients, though thanks to the infusion of paying customers Packard can do much more on its own. In particular, Rion said, the organization has opened two new branches, started a pharmacy, begun offering prenatal services, and vastly expanded behavioral health care by bringing on a half-dozen new doctors, nurses, and case workers. Now a retrenchment is underway. Coverage options on the HealthCare.gov marketplace got more expensive because Donald Trump and the Republicans refused to renew temporary subsidies that had been reducing the price of insurance. On top of that, the first cuts to Medicaid as part of last year’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” are starting to take effect. Rion told me Packard has already laid off a provider in anticipation of less revenue next year.1 Patient volume is down, he went on to explain, in part because uninsured patients sometimes avoid care altogether out of fear a single visit will lead to more treatments with more bills. And postponing care in that way can have serious medical consequences, as his colleague Ron Romero told me. “So you have somebody with diabetes, their chronic condition isn’t getting cared for,” said Romero, who like Rion is a family physician. “Their sugars rise, and they end up having other medical problems. Their kidneys start to get damaged. They start to have eye damage. They increase risk for heart attacks and strokes. . . . They end up in the emergency room.” And things are likely to get worse. Partly that’s because next year most of the remaining Medicaid cuts will take full effect, throwing more people off coverage. And partly it’s because forces that have nothing to do with Trump or Republican actions are making medical care more expensive for everyone, including those with employer insurance and Medicare. That will lead to still more people delaying or skipping care, ending up in the emergency rooms, and putting yet more cost pressure on providers. Rion wasn’t taking a position on the election or political parties, he made clear. He was just describing the reality he sees around him: “The whole system is being pressured. Nobody is immune to this stuff.” He’s right. And here’s the thing: This has all happened before. We know happens next.
Former President Obama endorses Charles Booker in Kentucky Senate race
Charles Booker is running against Republican Rep. Andy Barr to succeed Sen. Mitch McConnell.
Obamacare continues to shrink as enrollment opens for 2027
Holly Hendricks, who is battling an autoimmune disease that leaves her with open wounds down to the muscle, did everything she could to maintain her Affordable Care Act coverage after the enhanced premium subsidies lapsed at the start of this year.
Obamacare enrollment starts Sunday, more Health Headlines
Open enrollment for the state’s health insurance marketplace, Connect for Health Colorado, starts Sunday, Nov. 1.
It's here: 2027 Obamacare enrollment
Millions of Florida residents who purchase their insurance policies on healthcare.gov can begin shopping Sunday for coverage to take effect next year. Twelve companies will offer so-called Obamacare plans on the healthcare.gov marketplace, where subsidies are available to lower the costs of monthly premiums, the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation website shows. Another three are […]
Health Insurance Costs Are Already Spiking. Oregon’s New Obamacare Website Will Tack On a Bit More.
Insurers say they’ll have to pay more in per-person monthly fees to participate in Oregon’s new system than they did on the federal one. The cost—about equal to a monthly Netflix subscription—is likely to get passed on to consumers.
Commentary: Was this America's last bipartisan moment in national politics?
Chris Christie says the last moment of bipartisan national unity was his Oct. 31, 2012, meeting with Barack Obama. Sadly, he’s probably right
Health insurance plan costs on Healthcare.gov to rise by double digits in 2027
Obamacare enrollees could see their health insurance premiums rise by double digits for a second year in a row, according to a report published Friday. Health research group KFF found the average c…
Who delivered the stronger message? A political analyst compares Obama and Trump speeches.
Cook Political Report shifts 14 races toward Dems ahead of midterms
Democrats need at least 218 seats to win the House. The latest projections from a noted election forecaster should give them a reason for optimism.
Seth Meyers praises 'stand-up comedy Obama' after Cheesecake Factory uproar
Seth Meyers is all for "stand-up comedy Obama."
Why is the Cheesecake Factory at the center of the latest culture war?
A joke by former President Obama has gone viral and received backlash from the Trump administration as the issue of affordability looms large over next week's midterm elections.
Ohio man at center of political storm in Alaska
Jerid Kurtz won attention for his work in Obama and Brown campaigns. He's under fire now for involvement in Alaska race.
Baldwin slams health insurers in letter over Obamacare cancellations
Sen. Tammy Baldwin joined a letter questioning the role of big health insurers in the Trump administration's cancellation of 760,000 Obamacare signups.
Trump and Obama trade barbs on campaign trail in final days before midterm election
Former president says ‘these are not serious people’ as Trump holds rallies for Republican candidates
Live updates: Trump in Ohio and Obama in Georgia make closing stretch appeals to midterm voters
Trump in Ohio and Obama in Georgia make closing stretch appeals, Trump calls for prosecution of Democratic Alaska Senate candidate, Trump calls for prosecution of Alaska Senate candidate.
Trump, Obama head out campaigning and accusations heat up in Alaska: What you missed on the election trail
What you should know about the midterm campaign trail.
Barack Obama to campaign in Atlanta as political heavyweights make final push ahead of Election Day
Cheesecake Factory’s longtime designer calls Obama jab ‘pettiness of politics’
Cheesecake Factory’s former vice president of design, Rick McCormack, criticized former President Barack Obama’s comparison of the White House’s gold decor to the restaurant’s, calling it “the pettiness of politics.” McCormack told CNN he f…
Lawsuit challenges freeze on new health insurance brokers ahead of open enrollment
Health insurance brokers say government moves to crackdown on fraud are causing chaos ahead of open enrollment.
Kevin Bleyer, Emmy-winning 'Daily Show' writer, dies after car crash
Kevin Bleyer, an Emmy-winning writer on "The Daily Show" who previously wrote speeches for former President Barack Obama, died in a fatal car crash over the weekend. He was 54.
Cheesecake Factory, despite Obama’s gibe, is getting good reviews on Wall Street
The restaurant company’s stock, which trades under the ticker CAKE, has more than doubled since January.
Cheesecake Factory's longtime designer calls Obama White House jab 'pettiness of politics'
Trump fired back on Monday, defending his renovations and design choices while accusing Obama of failing to properly care for the historic residence.
Cheesecake Factory's longtime designer calls Obama White House jab 'pettiness of politics'
Trump fired back on Monday, defending his renovations and design choices while accusing Obama of failing to properly care for the historic residence.
Cheesecake Factory's longtime designer calls Obama White House jab 'pettiness of politics'
Trump fired back on Monday, defending his renovations and design choices while accusing Obama of failing to properly care for the historic residence.
‘Unsustainable’: Ahead of Nov. 3 elections, health advocates demand action as ACA premiums soar
Consumers and health care advocates on Monday called on political candidates and elected officials to address the mounting financial pressure on Floridians seeking health insurance through the ACA, also known as Obamacare.
Poll: Likely voters favor Democrats as Trump disapproval drives early turnout
Democrats hold an 8-point lead among likely voters in the fight for control of Congress with one week until Election Day, according to the latest PBS News/NPR/Marist poll.
How NY hospital mergers increase health care prices for patients
Half of New York's hospitals underwent at least one merger between 2009 and 2024, according to a study by the Community Service Society of New York.
Obama’s ‘Cheesecake Factory’ Jab Rankles Trump on Mississippi Campaign Stop
Former President Barack Obama had cast his successor as out of touch while jabbing at his extravagant sense of style. Mr. Trump responded at length.
Barack Obama calls for basic decency in politics at Ohio rally
Former President Barack Obama campaigns in Ohio, warning against political divisiveness and calling for basic decency. The panel discusses the impact of his message on key midterm races in the heartland.
How Obama and Trump Made their Cases in Dueling Midterm Speeches
At rallies this weekend, Mr. Obama and Mr. Trump delivered two starkly contrasting pitches, differing in style and substance.
Obama and Trump wage one last battle for even more urgent stakes
Two decades ago, Barack Obama stormed battleground states rebuking a Republican president over a deeply unpopular war and an economy that was crushing working Americans.
Obama, in Midwest, assails 'cruelty' and indecency from Trump and his allies in the midterm campaign
Obama remains the Democratic Party’s best motivator nearly a decade after leaving the White House. And he's taking his star power on the road in the final days of the midterm elections, which will help determine the balance of power in American politics on Nov. 3.
Trump campaigns in Michigan one day after Obama rallied against him
President Donald Trump will campaign for nominee Mike Rogers in Michigan, a day after former President Barack Obama criticized his administration in the state. Follow for live updates.
Obama seeks to shore up Abdul El-Sayed with Black voters at Michigan rally
The former president spoke alongside the Democratic Senate nominee in Detroit as the Senate contest could come down to the city’s large Black electorate
Obama jokes about the ‘well-known evil empire, Canada’
Former President Barack Obama expressed astonishment as he condemned President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada during a rally in support of Michigan’s Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed in Detroit, Michigan on Saturday.
Barack Obama rallies Michigan crowd for El-Sayed, saying he’s ‘fighting for real change’
Former president speaks to rapturous crowd of thousands in support of Democrat Abdul El-Sayed for US Senate
Obama compares Trump's White House renovations to 'Saddam Hussein opening a Cheesecake Factory' at Ohio rally
Barack Obama compared Trump's White House renovations to a Cheesecake Factory run by Saddam Hussein at a Cleveland rally for Ohio Democrats.
Obama rips into Ramaswamy over attack ad: ‘There’s no line he won’t cross’
The Ramaswamy campaign cut in half the length of the ad featuring Amy Acton’s estranged mother after the spot sparked an uproar.
Obama, in Ohio, assails 'cruelty' from Trump in campaign
Former President Barack Obama has stepped into one of America's ugliest midterm fights as he works to rally Democratic voters in battleground Ohio.
In first midterm rally, Obama blasts Trump administration
Democrats have embraced the former president as their most effective closing messenger in the final weeks of the high-stakes midterm campaign.
Obama describes Trump as an agent of ‘chaos and cruelty’ in midterm elections pitch
The former president on Saturday also criticized Republican Vivek Ramaswamy’s attack ad featuring the estranged mother of Amy Acton, his Democratic rival for governor.
Barack Obama to rally for Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan ahead of key US Senate race
The former Democratic president is showing major support in Detroit for the progressive Michigan candidate in final days before US midterm elections
Obama is set to campaign with Democrats in Ohio and Michigan as he ramps up midterm efforts
Barack Obama is set to campaign with Democrats running for the U.S. Senate in Ohio and Michigan.
Political expert breaks down potential impact of Obama, Trump visiting Michigan
The percentage of people without health insurance is growing
The percentage of working-age adults without health insurance has increased in the past two years, largely because many people can no longer afford Obamacare coverage after Congress allowed federal subsidies to expire at the end of last year. The uninsured rate for adults ages 19-64 rose to 11.2% this year, up from 8.9% in 2024, […]
Video: How Title IX Became a Political Tool
After a Cornell student’s lawsuit alleging the school failed her when she reported sexual assault, there’s a new focus on Title IX, the federal law barring sex discrimination in federally funded education. Our Washington correspondent Michael C. Bender traces how interpretations of the law shifted between the Obama and Trump administrations.
A Semiquincentennial of Apathy … and AI
My generation has never experienced politics untouched by algorithms. Every election I have been old enough to follow has unfolded, at least in part, on social media. From Obama’s historic victory in 2008 to Trump’s unconventional win for a second term in 2024, these campaigns showed how pol
Jay Z's past political statements won't help perception of NFL politicizing Super Bowl halftime
Jay Z reportedly chose himself to perform the 2027 Super Bowl halftime show, but his extensive political history could deepen a troubling viewership trend.
Karl Rove and David Axelrod give their predictions for 12 key midterm races
Rove, the reviled and revered hardball strategist behind the George W. Bush years, and Axelrod, the Obama strategist behind Democrats’ authentic-and-tenacious school of thought, give their takes on races to watch.
Rogers argues El-Sayed is vulnerable with 2 traditionally Democratic blocs as Obama heads to Michigan
Mike Rogers argues Abdul El-Sayed may lose Black and Jewish voters in Michigan's Senate race during a Sean Hannity town hall on key demographics.
Why the Muslim Brotherhood has become a flashpoint in the Michigan Senate race
The Muslim Brotherhood has become a flashpoint in Michigan’s Senate race, with Republicans trying to cast Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed as sympathetic to interests connected to Islamic terror and El-Sayed arguing that he is being unfairly accused of the same “dual loyalties” that former Presidents John F. Kennedy and Barack Obama once were.
President Trump in Macon Saturday, as political heavyweights flood Georgia before Nov. 3
Obama to stump Oct. 28 for Ossoff, Bottoms; Harris to keynote Fulton fundraiser Oct. 30 with Ossoff.
Obama calls Trump officials’ investigation of Ilhan Omar ‘appalling’
The former president posted a lengthy statement calling President Donald Trump’s treatment of Ilhan Omar a “transparent” effort to intimidate her.
Obama: Omar investigation should ‘outrage all Americans’
Obama claimed the probe was an attempt to strip Omar of her U.S. citizenship and possibly deport her over her public criticisms of Trump.
Obama calls Trump administration’s investigation into Ilhan Omar ‘appalling’
Former President Barack Obama on Sunday called the Justice Department’s investigation into Rep. Ilhan Omar “appalling,” saying the government is attempting to intimidate and deport one of President Donald Trump’s most outspoken critics.
Obama says Trump officials’ pursuit of Rep. Omar should ‘outrage all Americans’
In a statement Sunday, the former president said the administration is targeting the Minnesota Democrat based on her political beliefs.
Obama Defends Rep. Ilhan Omar Amid Trump Administration Inquiry
Federal agents searched Ms. Omar’s Washington home last week and issued subpoenas to some family members in search of evidence of fraud in immigration paperwork.
Michigan Democrat confirms sister-in-law's terror watchlist lawsuit days before Obama campaign appearance
Abdul El-Sayed acknowledged his sister-in-law's involvement in a federal terrorist watchlist lawsuit, days before former President Barack Obama campaigns with him.
Obama's star power gets a reality check from Black voters in crucial Senate race: 'It's a turn-off'
Barack Obama's endorsement of Abdul El-Sayed drew mixed reactions from Detroit Black voters, with undecided residents saying it didn't move the needle.
Here's why NJ consumers face double-digit Obamacare premium hikes
The five companies offering health insurance in New Jersey under the Affordable Care Cat, or Obamacare, are charging double-digit hikes.
RFK Jr pushes back on reports of federal health coverage cuts
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. disputes reports that the administration is cutting people from Medicare, Medicaid or Obamacare, saying it is targeting duplicate enrollments and records for deceased individuals.
Obamacare enrollment fell to 20.5 million people as of June, KFF says
NEW YORK, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Affordable Care Act enrollment fell by 18% to 20.5 million members in June, according to health policy research firm KFF, marking the steepest annual decline since 2015 ...
Barack Obama to campaign with Ohio Democrats as he expands his outreach ahead of Election Day
Former President Barack Obama is heading to Ohio and Michigan to campaign for Democratic candidates in key Senate and governor's races.
Ben Affleck says political 'hypocrisy, corruption and failure' left him 'disillusioned'
The actor, who once campaigned for Al Gore and Barack Obama, says he's now 'averse' to politics due to corruption.
Republicans want Abdul El-Sayed to be the main character of the midterms. He's happy to oblige
Michigan’s Senate race has become a battle over Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed. Republicans portray him as a dangerous radical; El-Sayed responds by traveling across Michigan and meeting voters.
Abdul El-Sayed walks back Obama criticism ahead of their campaign event
The Michigan Democratic Senate nominee wrote an op-ed in 2012 expressing dismay at what he said were "failures' by Obama. In an NBC interview, El-Sayed blamed the comments on his youth.
Mike Ditka tributes pour in from former President Obama, Chicago's sports teams and around the NFL
Mike Ditka, known as "Iron Mike," has died at 86.
Mike Ditka tributes pour in from former President Obama, Chicago's sports teams and around the NFL
Mike Ditka was “Iron Mike” as a player who revolutionized the tight end position and later became the easily recognizable and often imitated fiery, mustached and sweater vest-wearing “Da Coach” of the Chicago Bears during a Super Bowl-winning tenure.Ditka died Friday at 86, his family announced in a statement.
Mike Ditka tributes pour in from former President Obama, Chicago's sports teams and around the NFL
Mike Ditka, known as "Iron Mike," has died at 86
Mike Ditka tributes pour in from former President Obama, Chicago's sports teams and around the NFL
Mike Ditka, known as "Iron Mike," has died at 86
Trump bucks and the politics of mailing checks
The checks started going out last week, nearly one million of them, and mostly to battleground states. With a return address for the U.S. Treasury and a letter enclosed signed by President Donald Trump, these one-time checks for $500 were ostensibly government rebates for Obamacare enrollees who overpaid. In the accompanying letter, however, Trump attacks his predecessor and talks about his record in office on an important issue he’s not polling well on, which makes it seem more like the most expensive political mailer in U.S. history. The average piece of direct mail costs between 30 cents and $3, according to Mail Processing Associates, a print, mail, and fulfillment company. At $500 a pop plus roughly 50 cents each to issue the paper check, the cost of Trump’s healthcare mailer sent to more than 950,000 enrollees comes in at more than $475 million. Trump’s midterm healthcare message “For years, the Biden Administration overcharged you to fund the operation of HealthCare dot gov,” Trump wrote in the letter. “That money belongs to hard-working Americans, not the Government, and now, I am returning it to you!” In the letter, Trump makes false and misleading claims about his administration’s record on healthcare costs, an issue Democrats have a 20 point advantage on over Republicans, according to a recent poll from KFF, a nonpartisan health policy think tank. Trump touts his administration’s TrumpRX program, which he claims is “delivering massive discounts.” However, new research from KFF found that of a selection of drugs available on the TrumpRX platform, just five were the lowest price, while 13 were the highest price. Trump also falsely claims in the letter that he’s fighting to lower healthcare costs. In reality, average monthly premium payment costs for enrollees rose 58% under Trump while marketplace sign-ups declined 5%, per KFF. Under Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, it’s estimated 10 million more Americans will be uninsured by 2034. You get a check and you get a check and you get a check Trump’s long promised cash outs to his fans, from his days as a casino operator and gameshow host to his presidency. During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the first Trump administration made the unprecedented move to put Trump’s name on checks that went out under the CARES Act (notably the $500 refund checks this time around don’t feature Trump’s name). Ever since, Trump’s been chasing that high. In his second term, Trump’s promised more stimulus that never arrived, like refund checks from DOGE cuts and tariffs, while he said at his party’s convention last month that he’d give out $5,000 checks to everyone if Republicans win in November. In reality, DOGE overstated its cost cutting and Trump’s government actually now spends more than former President Joe Biden’s, while Trump’s tariffs actually grew the trade deficit. His proposal for $5,000 checks would add about $1.2 trillion to the national debt. The problem is there’s no money to give. These $500 checks — plus $90 Medicare rebate checks also going out as well as $250 deposited this week in some Trump Accounts for kids courtesy Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell and his wife Susan — represent the closest Trump’s going to get to making good on his promise to deliver cash fast. And the checks seem especially targeted. Though the $500 checks went out to enrollees in one of 30 states that use the federal HealthCare dot gov marketplace, a Reuters review found 71% of the payments, or $339 million, went to enrollees in 13 states that have the most competitive elections for governor and U.S. Senate. Most Americans don’t buy it Could Trump bucks sway the election? An Economist-YouGov poll found 57% of U.S. adults doubt Trump will deliver on his promise for $5,000 checks, compared to 21% who do. “I’m waiting on my DOGE check and I’m still waiting on my tariff check,” one 2024 Trump voter who’s since turned on him told a recent focus group. “It felt like kind of trying to buy people’s votes, which honestly felt like in elementary when the class president was like, hey we’re going to take you to the water park if you vote for me. It’s like, I don’t think it works like that.” But for voters in swing states who got a check, it could still matter. One survey published in 2022 found receiving a physically personalized check in the mail during the pandemic was associated with a much greater self-reported likelihood of voting for Trump in 2020, and those gains mainly came from out partisans. The issue for Trump comes if these checks are mostly going to Obamacare enrollees whose premiums have gone up by more than just $500 since he took office and who view the money as something like a bribe before the election rather than an actual long-term solution to lowering household costs. Spending $500.50 per mailer would be absurd as a normal campaign expenditure, but since Trump’s checks and letter are a government rebate, his campaign and super PAC didn’t have to spend a dime and he got out his message regardless. If enough voters in key states are swayed by the one-time payment, it could prove to be the best $0 the Trump campaign spent. Subscribe [ ](https://www.yellopolitics.com/p/why-independent-candidates-are-making) [ Why independent candidates are making independence central to their brand ](https://www.yellopolitics.com/p/why-independent-candidates-are-making) Hunter Schwarz · Oct 6 [ Read full story ](https://www.yellopolitics.com/p/why-independent-candidates-are-making) [ ](https://www.yellopolitics.com/p/these-designers-and-grocery-nerds) [ These designers and grocery nerds will brand Mamdani’s NYC grocery stores ](https://www.yellopolitics.com/p/these-designers-and-grocery-nerds) Hunter Schwarz · Oct 2 [ Read full story ](https://www.yellopolitics.com/p/these-designers-and-grocery-nerds) Trump wants to turn his first-ever golf course into a government course for presidents
Former President Obama endorses David Crowley in Wisconsin governor's race
MADISON (WKOW) — Former President Barack Obama has endorsed Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley for Wisconsin governor.
Obama marvels at Democrats’ Senate chances
“There are states right now in play that I would not have imagined being in play,” the former president said.
Obama endorses Troy Jackson in Maine Senate race
The former president told voters he is “proud to be on board” the Democrats’ campaign to oust Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
Moment Margaret Hamilton receives presidential medal of honour
Barack Obama awarded the Apollo 11 software engineer with the America's highest civilian honour in 2016.
Detroit political voice: Obama won’t fix El-Sayed’s Black voter problem
Obama’s upcoming campaign appearance with Abdul El-Sayed may not be enough to win over skeptical Black voters in Detroit.
Margaret Hamilton, computing pioneer who led software development for the Apollo program, dies at 90
Margaret H. Hamilton, a profoundly influential computer scientist best known for leading the software engineering team at MIT’s Instrumentation Lab during NASA’s Apollo program, died at age 90.
Obama to campaign with El-Sayed in Detroit as ex-president gets more involved in midterms
Obama is upping involvement in the midterm election. He taped two dozen ads last week for Democratic candidates for governor and Senate that will be released in the coming days and weeks.
Analysis-Vance's fraud crackdown may raise costs for US health insurers, enrollees
NEW YORK, Oct 2 (Reuters) - A crackdown on Obamacare health insurance could raise prices for US consumers and insurers by removing healthy, low-cost enrollees, adding pressure to a shrinking marketplace.
Vance's fraud crackdown may raise costs for US health insurers, enrollees
A crackdown on Obamacare health insurance could raise prices for US consumers and insurers by removing healthy, low-cost enrollees, adding pressure to a shrinking marketplace.
Trump's $500 Obamacare 'rebate' checks land in prime political battlegrounds
President Donald Trump's administration is sending $500 payments to nearly 1 million Americans this week, in a move that strategists say could potentially influence races that may determine whether his Republicans maintain control of Congress in the November midterm elections.
Trump's $500 Obamacare 'rebate' checks land in prime political battlegrounds
President Donald Trump's administration is sending $500 payments to nearly 1 million Americans this week, in a move that strategists say could potentially influence races that may determine whether his Republicans maintain control of Congress in the November midterm elections.
Trump's $500 Obamacare 'rebate' checks land in prime political battlegrounds
By Andy Sullivan, Helen Coster, Ahmed Aboulenein and Tim McLaughlin WASHINGTON, Oct 1 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's administration is sending $500 payments to nearly 1 million Americans this
Exclusive: Barack Obama’s hidden hand shaping Democrats’ AI debate
The former president is pushing 2028 Democratic hopefuls to develop specific plans for how to tackle AI — but some of them are wary of antagonizing the industry.
The Beclowning of Scott Bessent
One iron law of current politics is that nobody who associates themselves with Donald Trump emerges with a shred of credibility. For some, that’s not a big loss — it’s not as if anyone respected Pete Hegseth even before he decided that the key to military success in an age of drones and AI was more testosterone. For others, however, the costs are real. I’m old enough to remember when Marco Rubio was widely considered a reasonable, thoughtful politician. Right now, however, my candidate for the biggest loser is Scott Bessent, the Secretary of the Treasury. Bessent started out with significant reputation to lose: When Trump selected him, this was the headline in the Financial Times: Jason Furman, Barack Obama’s chief economist, described him as a “credible Treasury secretary who has a real understanding of the global economy”. But Bessent has now transformed himself into the Baghdad Bob of bonds. Three weeks ago, after intervening (for reasons that remain somewhat unclear) to support the Japanese yen, Bessent boasted about his ability to move markets and dared investors to bet against his, declaring “I am the house now.” He then tried to push long-term interest rates down, buying 30-year U.S. Treasuries in a move some have compared to paying down part of your mortgage by running up your credit card balance. Here’s how that’s going so far: To get some perspective on how high interest rates have gone, here’s a longer-term perspective: We haven’t seen interest rates this high since the fading days of the dotcom bubble. Why are interest rates hitting new records? The backdrop, as I argued in last Sunday’s primer, is the huge AI-driven investment boom; more on that next week. But the immediate cause of the latest interest rate spike was Trump’s rejection of an Iranian proposal to end the war. This rejection sent crude oil prices, which for a while had fallen considerably, shooting back up: It’s notable, by the way, that oil prices remain high even though a significant amount of oil is now being shuttled through the Strait of Hormuz by night, on smaller vessels. That’s an interesting story, which has a lot to do with the fact that oil from the Hormuz shuttle runs must be transferred to larger vessels before being shipped to markets in Europe and Asia; around 15 percent of the world’s large crude carriers are now parked off the coast of Oman, waiting to be tanked up. This is creating a shipping crunch: But that’s a topic for another day. For now, the point is that with oil still high and refined products, especially diesel, still close to record levels, inflation will remain elevated. And this in turn means that the Federal Reserve will keep short-term interest rates high, an expectation that is feeding into longer-term rates. Hence Bessent’s bond-market humiliation. The truth is that Bessent might not have been able to get interest rates down even in the best of circumstances. But he certainly won’t get anywhere as long as Trump keeps believing that he can somehow convert his Iran debacle into a triumphant victory. And Trump will keep believing that as long as he is surrounded by sycophants who tell him what he wants to hear. Sycophants like, for example, Scott Bessent, who is predicting the imminent collapse of the Iranian economy, possibly within two weeks. Bessent is right to say that the embargo on Iranian oil exports is placing the country under great economic strain. But his implicit prediction that this will quickly produce a deal that Trump can call victory looks no more plausible than his boasts about the bond market. The big question now is, why would anyone with a reputation to lose work for Donald Trump? As the beclowning of Bessent shows, joining the Trump team won’t just damage your reputation; it will utterly destroy it.
Focus: Americans navigate 'wild West' of health insurance options after dropping Obamacare plans
When Stacy Cox, a self-employed photographer in Kanab, Utah, dropped her Obamacare health insurance plan this year, routine preventive care became a financial dilemma. Now she finds herself weighing $1,200 for a mammogram against survival of her business.
Durbin: Obama election 'one of the real satisfactions of my career'
Sen. Dick Durbin talks early losses, major wins, Barack Obama and ahead of his retirement.
Hundreds of Hawaii residents could lose Obamacare health insurance benefits in fraud crackdown
Hawaii’s ACA marketplace is run on the federal exchange Healthcare.gov, so the state doesn’t know how many of Hawaii’s enrollees are caught up in Trump's national fraud sweep.
Trump administration to remove 760,000 Affordable Care Act enrollees
The vice president cited fraud
Trump administration to remove 760,000 Affordable Care Act enrollees
The vice president cited fraud
US says it canceled 315,000 Obamacare policies last month
The US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said on Tuesday it canceled 315,000 Obamacare health plans covering about 760,000 people last month, citing unverified citizenship or immigration documentation and suspected improper enrollments.