By Barbara Estrin, January 6, 2019

Amidst the flurry of television advertisements for Christmas bargains, Medicare ran a series of its own, pushing Advantage Plans over traditional Medicare. Why was the government advertising for big insurance companies? And what else was the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services doing while we were preparing for the holidays?

For one thing, it didn’t oppose the lawsuit against the Affordable Care Act brought by 18 states. Ten days before Christmas, millions of Americans heard that a Texas judge ruled the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional. The Texas ruling — which even President Trump has tweeted will not go into effect immediately — throws panic into people with pre-existing conditions, millennials who had coverage under their parents’ plans until they reach 26, and people who received Medicaid or federal assistance to buy policies.

What a merry holiday season!

But there’s more.

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