WASHINGTON (AP) – The Trump administration says it is pulling back advertising to promote HealthCare.gov as open enrollment draws to a close for this year.
The Health and Human Services Department said in a statement Thursday that the government has withdrawn about $5 million in ads as part of an effort to cut costs. The statement said HHS has already spent more than $60 million to promote sign-ups this year under former President Barack Obama’s health care law.
Former Obama officials immediately accused the new administration of “sabotage.”
Calling the decision “outrageous,” former HealthCare.gov CEO Kevin Counihan said in a statement that the move could keep young, healthy people from getting into the insurance pool, thereby driving up costs. “We know that more young people enroll during the final days of open enrollment, but they need to be reminded of the Jan. 31 deadline,” Counihan said.
A call to the HealthCare.gov national call center Thursday night found it to be up and running. An operator read a reporter a script saying that the transition to a new administration has not affected coverage for 2017, and people are still able to sign up.