The Trump administration’s commitment to coal is facing its stiffest test yet after an Ohio energy company made a plea to favor that power source over its many rivals. FirstEnergy’s fleet of coal-fired and nuclear power plants filed for bankruptcy over the weekend, just days after the company asked the federal government for an emergency order that would keep many of the facilities open. The Energy Department now has to decide whether to compel the nation’s biggest grid operator to cut deals that shift more of such plants’ costs to consumers. President Trump has been one of coal’s biggest boosters as the industry battles rising competition from such alternatives as natural gas and solar power. While a successful plea by the Ohio company could protect thousands of jobs at coal plants, it could also hurt rival energy businesses and raise electricity prices for customers in states across the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. That would pose a significant risk to Mr. Trump by antagonizing his supporters among electricity users and companies in the oil-and-gas industry that have become primary suppliers to power plants.
Analysis: GOP plan to cost Obamacare enrollees $1,542 more a year
We estimate that the bill would increase costs for the average enrollee by $1,542, for the year, if the bill were in effect today. In 2020, the bill would increase costs for the average enrollee by $2,409.
.. In general, the impact of the Republican bill would be particularly severe for older individuals, ages 55 to 64. Their costs would increase by $5,269 if the bill went into effect today and by $6,971 in 2020. Individuals with income below 250 percent of the federal poverty line would see their costs increase by $2,945 today and by $4,061 in 2020.
.. Currently, the ACA prohibits insurers from charging older individuals premiums that are more than three times greater than premiums for younger individuals. Under the Republican bill, insurers could charge premiums for older individuals that are as much as five times greater. Therefore, obviously, premiums for older individuals would go up, those for younger individuals would go down.
.. In the absence of the individual mandate, CBO estimates that adverse selection would increase premiums by 20 percent. We assume that the Republican bill’s replacement for the individual mandate would have at least some effect, but that it would not be as effective as the mandate. We assumed the shift to a continuous coverage model would increase premiums by 10 percent.
.. These cost increases would explode by 2020. We estimate that the Republican bill would increase costs for families by $4,274. For families with a head of household age 55 to 64, the bill would increase costs by $10,591. For families with income below 250% percent of poverty, the bill would increase costs by $9,024.