donald-trump.jpg

Is this what Trump meant when he said "something terrific?" (Marcus Yam | Los Angeles Times | TNS)

Donald Trump's selection of diehard Obamacare critic Tom Price to lead the federal agency that oversees the implementation of the health law makes one thing all but certain: The 22 million who got insurance are in grave danger of losing it.



Trump's pick of Price signals he's dead serious about repealing the law. No Republican proposal would save these millions from losing coverage, but Trump has chosen the author of one of the most detailed, harsh replacement plans out there.



Price's proposal would deeply slash federal subsidies to buy coverage on the exchanges, making it impossible for many to afford health coverage. It would provide far less protection for people with pre-existing conditions, like cancer and diabetes. Most drastically, it would fully repeal the Medicaid expansion program - leaving 14 million Americans with no health insurance whatsoever.

'Trumpcare': Kicking 22 million off health insurance? | Editorial



That last part would hurt New Jersey far more than other states, according to the think tank New Jersey Policy Perspective, due to our large population and high cost of living. We'd be left with many more people who can no longer afford health care: At least a half million, or as many as 10 percent of New Jersey's working-age adults.



It would also cost our state $3 billion in federal funds, annually - "the worst federal cutback we've ever seen," according to Ray Castro, the analyst who ran the numbers - sinking the final knife into New Jersey's carcass on the fiscal crisis.



Those who stand to lose their health insurance include many poor and working class people who voted for Trump. About 145,000 of the low income people who would be dropped from Medicaid coverage in New Jersey live in Republican districts, NJPP found.



They are diner waiters, grocery cashiers, teachers at child care centers, home health aides and school bus drivers. Before Obamacare, these low-wage workers were caught in an ironic coverage gap: Too poor to buy private insurance, but too rich for Medicaid.



Now, many have health insurance for the first time in their lives. Nationally, the uninsured rate among whites without a college degree who have household incomes of under $36,000 has dropped by 10 percentage points in just the past three years, thanks to the Medicaid expansion and Obamacare subsidies.



Think about what will happen if all these people lose their coverage. Hundreds of thousands of uninsured New Jerseyans will be forced to get their care in an emergency room, the most expensive place on Earth. Charity care costs could add up to hundreds of millions more annually, according to the New Jersey Hospital Association - paid for by you, the taxpayer.



Many people who voted for Trump didn't think this would impact them. When he said he'd replace the health law with "something terrific," did they realize that might actually mean the loss of their own health insurance? A hike in their taxes, or dire cuts to essential programs like education?



We'll find out soon enough. Trump called Obamacare a "catastrophe." Let's see how Americans feel when he repeals it.

Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.