HHS Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell gave a farewell address praising the accomplishments of the ACA, while President Barack Obama met with congressional
Democrats to cheer them on in resisting efforts to undermine it.
On January 20, 2017, the winds abruptly changed.Within minutes of his inauguration,President Donald Trump issued an executive order instructing departments
and agencies responsible for implementing the ACA, “to the maximum extent permitted by law,” to “waive, defer, grant exemptions from, or delay the implementation of any provision” of the ACA in order to minimize costs and regulatory burdens on the states, insurers, purchasers, providers, or medical product manufacturers; “provide greater flexibility to States”; and “encourage…a free and open market in interstate commerce for…healthcare services and health insurance.”
The Trump administration has taken few concrete actions affecting the ACA. Read more