Tag: American economy

$1.5 Billion Obamacare Waste Targeted by Trump Administration

$1.5 Billion Obamacare Waste Targeted by Trump Administration

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Remember back in 2009 when then US President Barack Obama and his fellow Democrats made a lot of promises that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) – AKA Obamacare – would be very helpful to many Americans in a variety of ways? Believe it or not, Obamacare itself has fraudulent transactions and it cost taxpayers a lot of money that went to waste. That said, the Trump administration eliminated a lot of subsidies for multiple dead or duplicate enrollees which resulted in saving taxpayers roughly $1.5 billion, according to a news report by Newsmax. This development is the latest in the administration’s ongoing efforts to fight fraud, waste and federal program abuses.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Newsmax report. Some parts in boldface…

The Trump administration has eliminated Obamacare subsidies for 189,000 duplicate or deceased enrollees, a crackdown on improper government healthcare payments projected to save taxpayers approximately $1.5 billion over the next year, federal officials announced Wednesday.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said the action follows the discovery of people receiving taxpayer-subsidized Affordable Care Act coverage despite already having Medicare, Medicaid, or Children’s Health Insurance Program coverage, as well as individuals listed as deceased.

The latest findings are part of President Donald Trump’s broader effort to combat fraud, waste, and abuse in federal health care programs after the Biden administration suspended routine eligibility checks for four years.

“When it comes to program integrity, the Biden Administration was sleeping on the job,” CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz said in a CMS release.

“They paused looking for duplicate Medicaid and Obamacare coverage for four years, creating a backlog of hundreds of thousands of duplicate enrollments.“

According to CMS, the Biden administration halted periodic Medicaid and Obamacare enrollment checks between 2021 and 2024, allowing hundreds of thousands of potentially improper duplicate enrollments to accumulate.

Trump restored the verification process in 2025, when CMS ended duplicate Obamacare subsidies for approximately 551,000 people already covered by Medicaid.

The administration saved nearly $4.4 billion through those efforts last year, according to the Daily Wire.

“We’ve already saved nearly $6 billion, and we will continue to work hard to restore taxpayers’ confidence that the programs they fund are spending their hard-earned dollars wisely and efficiently,” Oz said.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. emphasized that protecting taxpayer resources helps preserve healthcare coverage for Americans who genuinely need assistance.

“Americans overwhelmingly support protecting access to healthcare for vulnerable Americans, but taxpayers shouldn’t pay twice for the same coverage,” Kennedy said.

CMS said individuals flagged for duplicate coverage receive notice and have 30 days to dispute the findings before their Obamacare subsidies are terminated.

Those affected may also appeal afterward or demonstrate that their Medicaid or CHIP coverage is ending to regain eligibility for subsidies. Similar safeguards apply when federal records incorrectly identify someone as deceased.

The Daily Wire reported that improper enrollments sometimes involve applicants misrepresenting their income or unscrupulous insurance brokers enrolling Americans without their knowledge.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Are you feeling glad that the US President Donald Trump and his administration are actively fighting fraud and taxpayers’ funds waste? What do you hope would be changed within Obamacare itself while Trump is still in office? Do you think there are illegal immigrants who could be receiving Obamacare benefits?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Philippines to Purchase up to 200,000 MT of American Rice Annually

Philippines to Purchase up to 200,000 MT of American Rice Annually

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In its ongoing efforts to ensure reliable supply of staple food as well as food security in general, the Philippines will be purchasing up to 200,000 metric tons (MT) of rice from the United States on an annual basis, according to a news report by the Manila Bulletin.  

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…

The Philippines is set to purchase up to 200,000 metric tons (MT) of rice from the United States (US) per year, as the world’s largest rice importer looks to expand its sources to reinforce domestic supply of the household staple.

The Philippine Rice Industry Stakeholders Movement (PRISM) said it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with USA Rice Federation on Wednesday, Oct. 7, to restore US rice shipments to the Philippines.

Under the MOU, PRISM members are encouraged to consider the US as a viable source of their rice, with purchases conducted through open tenders and by working directly with members of USA Rice.

The agreement covers the purchase of 100,000 MT of American rice by next year, before doubling to 200,000 MT per year starting in 2028.

PRISM said it will now work with USA Rice, its members, and the government to facilitate this impending trade flow in a “timely manner.”

The US has historically been one of the major rice suppliers of the Philippines, supporting the country’s food security efforts from the 1960s to 1980s.

This partnership went up a notch from 1997 to 2007, as the US ramped up its shipments of rice to the country, largely through its partnership with state-run National Food Authority (NFA).

USA Rice president and chief executive officer (CEO) Peter Bachmann said the partnership with PRISM intends to bring this trade relationship back into the spotlight, especially following the enactment of the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL).

RTL, which liberalized the country’s rice trade policy by removing quantitative restrictions (QR) on imports, is seen to make US rice more commercially viable than before.

“Rice has a historic role as a part of the US-Philippine relationship so I was happy to sign this agreement here that recognizes our history and moves our industries forward,” said Bachmann. He added that the MOU will provide American farmers and millers with an important market at a time when the US rice industry is in need of viable markets.

The agreement comes as the Philippines works on expanding its buffer stock of rice ahead of a projected decline in production due to the impact of a strong El Niño, which is expected to persist through next year.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel earlier said that the government is working to maintain about 75 days of rice supply to ensure food sufficiency and counter the projected losses in rice output of around 700,000 MT.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Could you tell if the rice grain you have right now was imported from the United States? Do you constantly look for American rice grain whenever you visit the local markets to buy rice? How does American rice compare with those from Vietnam, Thailand and Japan?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Trump Highlights Bright Spots Of US Economy Under His Leadership

Trump Highlights Bright Spots Of US Economy Under His Leadership

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During his speech at a major business forum held in Miami, Florida, US President highlighted bright spots of the national economy that were realized during his administration this year, according to a news report by Breitbart. It should be remembered that Trump was re-elected last year and there was series of economic hardships (including the worst inflation in decades) during the four years of failed US President Joe Biden.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from Breitbart’s news report. Some parts in boldface…

President Donald Trump touted economic bright spots–including rising wages, lowering costs of goods, and falling interest rates–during his speech at the American Business Forum in Miami, Florida, on Wednesday.

Trump noted that under his presidency, miner wages have risen by an average of almost $5,000, construction worker wages have climbed by $2,200, and factory worker wages are up $1,300.

While wages are up, prices on many key goods are falling. Trump touted Walmart’s announcement that the average Thanksgiving Dinner will see a substantial drop this year. As Breitbart News reported late last month, Walmart’s bundle to feed 10 on Thanksgiving will run just under $40, averaging about $4 per person.

This is down from the average of $7 per person under last year’s pricing, when President Joe Biden was commander-in-chief on the heels of the 40-year-high inflation his and Democrat lawmakers’ economic policies brought upon Americans.

Trump also highlighted that egg prices are down 85 percent since March. In comparison, the Biden-Harris administration oversaw a 147 percent increase from the beginning of their administration through August 2024, just months before Trump’s historic election win on November 5, the first anniversary of which was Wednesday.

Other areas of dwindling costs Trump touted included energy prices and the typical new mortgage costs, which have dropped $3,000 this year. Moreover, interest rates are down to the 3.75-4 percent range after a second-quarter point rate cut this year at the end of October, as Breitbart News reported.

Trump touted job statistics as well on Wednesday, noting that 1.9 million more natural-born Americans are employed since he took office, and all new jobs created under him have been through the private sector.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think the US economy is on the verge of taking off in connection with the many positive economic developments that happened since Trump returned as President? Are Americans becoming better off economically today than four years prior? 

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco