President Trump's new budget is not a win for conservatives, groups like Americans for Prosperity are regretting. In particular, they are concerned by the part where the budget will reinstate $800 million in funding for Obamacare’s risk corridor program.
AFP President Tim Phillips offered the following rebuke.
“It is disappointing to see this administration proposing to restart the misguided practice of using taxpayer dollars to subsidize big insurers," Phillips said in a statement. "President Trump has provided regulatory relief that allows those hurt by skyrocketing Obamacare premiums onto short-term policies or association health plans, eliminating the need for a new round of insurance company giveaways.
“Including CSRs and risk corridors in the White House budget would only prop up the failing health care law. Obamacare was manipulated to put the profits of private health insurance companies ahead of tax-paying Americans, and it’s good that we have put an end to these bailout programs.”
The GOP failed to repeal and replace Obamacare last year, despite President Trump's endorsement of the legislation. Conservatives initially opposed the effort because it would do little to nothing to lower health care costs, nor repeal enough of the Affordable Care Act. Yet, in the end it was three moderate Republicans who derailed the bill.
There's plenty of pushback in Congress against the Trump budget too. Republican lawmakers like Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) demanded to know why the new budget bails out private insurers to protect them from Obamacare, when that money could go to pressing needs like these?
Some programs in #Florida are subject to sequester cuts: (2/3)
— Senator Rubio Press (@SenRubioPress) February 13, 2018
FEMA Disaster Relief Fund
NASA
NIH cancer research grants
Firefighter grants
NIH Alzheimer’s research grants
VETS job-training program
Border Patrol
Coast Guard
National Park Service
Special Education Grants
Meanwhile, House Freedom Caucus members like Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC) is incensed that the budget, which adds $300 billion in new spending, will do nothing to rein in the deficit.
“The swamp won and the American taxpayer lost,” he said.
