Everyone in the healthcare industry is wondering how President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign promise to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act will actually play out when he moves into the White House.

It’s starting to look like ending Obamacare, whether via formal legislative action or budget reconciliation, is legitimately possible.

But how will that happen and what comes next?

“Massive disruption in the health insurance markets,” one senior director not happy with Trump’s victory said. “Many individual consumers will be priced out of coverage due to the reinstatement of individual underwriting and young healthy consumers will exit the risk pool.”

 Election 2016 reader survey results:
 ✓ Health IT pros overwhelmingly unhappy Trump won
 ✓ Execs express dystopian view of Trump presidency
 ✓ What C-suite execs expect when Trump takes over
 ✓ 100 things insiders said about Trump's healthcare plans

Healthcare IT News and Healthcare Finance conducted an online reader survey, open for 24 hours, beginning on Nov. 9. Nearly 67 percent of the anonymous 165 respondents said they are not happy that Trump won the election, 13 percent indicated it is too early to tell, and the other 20 percent answered that they are pleased Trump will be the next American President.

One former administrator said that eradicating the ACA would drive emergency room visits for primary care upward and, in turn, overall prices will rise creating a burden that hits middle class and wealthy Americans hardest.

A participating COO countered that Trump will “replace mandates with market-driven strategies to reduce cost to consumers and increase profitability for healthcare organizations."

Multiple respondents said Trump, and ACA repeal, will make health insurance companies more competitive and more influential in care provided.

"Maybe healthcare coverage and costs can be negotiated so more people can be covered at reasonable costs,” another COO said.

At least one CEO is hoping for a change in the health exchange model but not Medicare Shared Savings Programs, bundled payments, MACRA or MIPS.

"Pay-for-value is hopefully here to stay because it is in line with principles of lowering cost, improving quality and choosing your own providers,” the CEO noted.

How are you expecting Trump’s presidency to shake up the healthcare industry? 

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