Oregon joins other states in Trump health care lawsuit

SALEM, Ore. – Oregon is joining California’s lawsuit along with more than a dozen other states against President Donald Trump’s halting of payments to insurers under the Obama-era health care law, Oregon’s attorney general said Friday.

Ellen Rosenblum said the White House “has made a rash, ill-conceived decision that will have a devastating impact on many vulnerable Oregonians.”

“These ACA subsidies are a vital funding source that keep insurance premiums manageable,” Rosenblum said, referring to the Affordable Care Act that Trump has tried repeatedly, and failed, to repeal.

The White House says the government cannot legally continue to pay the so-called cost-sharing subsidies because they lack a formal authorization by Congress.

Trump said Friday the subsidies are “almost a payoff” to insurance companies to lift their stock prices instead of helping low-income people afford premiums.

But several attorneys general say Trump is not following federal law in ending a legally mandated system that already is operating.