Trump Administration Moves to Shift Patients' Chronic Illness Costs to Insurers

The Trump Administration announced a new guideline Wednesday that will allow patients with chronic health problems to receive treatment from insurers before they have paid their full deductible, reports the Wall Street Journal . The IRS and Treasury jointly issued the guidance, clarifying that it applies to patients with high-deductible health plans and pre-tax health savings accounts (HSAs). The move is intended to provide relief for both patients and insurers. Under the old guidelines, patients had to fully pay off their deductible, which could range in the thousands of dollars, before receiving treatment for conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension. That left patients struggling to afford treatment while their conditions worsened, and insurers ended up paying more for the treatment after patients reached their deductible. The guidance could be incorporated into health plans as soon as next year. Critics say that the guidance could encourage more people to seek out high-deductible insurance plans with pretax HSAs, but proponents say it is ultimately a way to provide financial relief for patients with chronic health problems.