Despite the government shutdown, Trump's efforts to gut Obamacare go full speed ahead

A good portion of the federal government may be shut down, but you can rest assured that the devoted Obamacare saboteurs at the Department of Health and Human Services are on the job.

Late Thursday, they released proposed rule changes for the 2020 health insurance year - and requests for comments on further changes - that will drive up premiums for people on Affordable Care Act health plans, cut subsidies and discourage more Americans from enrolling.

The proposals also could raise prescription costs for enrollees and raise costs even for families enrolled in employer plans. Longer-term changes proposed for 2021 and beyond could affect about 2 million ACA enrollees.

HHS acknowledges that the near-term proposals would save the U.S. treasury and cost families an aggregate $900 million a year in subsidies in 2020