Democrats are calling Trump's bluff and raising him an appropriations bill.
President Trump's threat to use Obamacare payments to leverage support from Democrats follows one of his recommendations for business success in "The Art of the Deal," but polls and expert projections suggest that a decision to withhold billions from health insurance companies could not only cost him politically but result in dire consequences for those who rely on medical coverage.
The funds, called "cost-sharing reduction" subsidies, help insurance companies reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses for low-income people who buy coverage on Obamacare's exchanges. Though they are currently being distributed to insurance companies, their future remains uncertain because of ongoing litigation about whether they were illegally distributed, as well as lack of clarity from Republicans on the future of Obamacare.
