US President Donald Trump was expected to sign an executive order on Thursday that would make it easier for Americans to buy bare-bones health insurance plans and circumvent rules put in place by Obamacare, though such an order could face legal challenges. The order would allow small businesses and individuals to band together as associations to buy cheaper health plans that would be exempt from some Obamacare requirements. Trump was expected to order an extension for the period that long short-term insurance can be used to about a year, versus three months under Obamacare. Experts questioned whether Trump has the legal authority to expand association health plans and whether some plans, but not others, could be exempt from Obamacare rules. Conservative groups and lawmakers, including Republican Senator Rand Paul, who said he has worked with Trump for months on the expected order, and Republican Senator Ron Johnson, have cheered the expected order.

Source: Dhaka Tribune October 12, 2017 09:56 UTC