>
Article snippet: The Trump administration is turning to regulations as their last, best hope of chipping away at ObamaCare in 2018, with congressional Republicans unlikely to pass full repeal. A proposed rule released Thursday targeting the health law is likely the first step in a new effort to undermine the law. And advocates for ObamaCare worry that another forthcoming rule could cause even more damage. The administration on Thursday eased rules on small businesses that band together to buy health insurance through what are known as association health plans (AHPs). The proposal retains ObamaCare protections for people with pre-existing conditions and prohibits lifetime limits on benefits. But it would allow associations to purchase cheaper health insurance that won’t cover the ten “essential health benefits,” which include mental health, substance abuse treatment, maternity care and prescription drugs. A second proposed rule, yet to be unveiled, could have an even greater impact, with much broader exemptions from ObamaCare. That rule is expected to lift the Obama administration's restrictions on skimpy, short-term health insurance plans. The changes would allow the plans to last for 12 months and be renewed. Experts expect the short-term plans to also be exempt from all of ObamaCare’s protections, meaning insurers would be able to charge higher premiums to people with pre-existing conditions. The proposal on association plans is “aimed at putting AHPs on same footing as large ... Link to the full article to read more