Short-term plans, whichoriginally were limited to three months' duration, were expanded bythe administration to last a year and allowed to be renewed for upto three years. (Photo: Getty)

Senator Tammy Baldwin, D-WI, has introduced a measure tooverturn an expansion put in place by the Trump administration ofshort-term health plans.

According to The Hill, although the likelihood ofsuccessfully killing off the expansion of what Democrats term “junkinsurance plans”—because they don't have to cover the 10 essentials required by the Affordable CareAct—is low, the objective is to force a vote on the record byRepublicans on the plans.

Related: GOP abandonment of ACA a gift forDemocrats?

Short-term plans, which originally were limited to three months'duration, were expanded by the administration to last a yearand allowed to be renewed for up to three years. However, anarticle in Modern Healthcare quotes Baldwin saying,“The Trump administration is…. moving forward on an expansion ofjunk insurance plans that can deny coverage to people withpreexisting conditions and don't have to cover essential serviceslike prescription drugs, emergency room visits and maternitycare.”

By filing a discharge petition, Baldwin will be employing “aprocedural step that enables Congress to overturn administrativeactions with a simple majority in two chambers,” says The Hill.Although it's highly doubtful that the measure will pass, theaction will highlight the limited nature of the plans—the expansionof which is opposed by insurers in ACA exchanges and some stateinsurance commissioners.

While the administration claims the plans provide a cheaperoption for people who can't, or don't want to, purchase coveragevia the ACA, they cover far less than ACA-compliant plans, andbuyers may not realize that until they need care for somethingthat's not included. In addition, the pool of insureds will bestripped of younger and healthier purchasers of such plans, leavingolder, less healthy individuals subject to higher premiums, as wellas possibly destabilizing the market.

When announcing her petition, Baldwin cited a Los Angeles Timesanalysis that found criticism of the rule in 335 out of the 340comments submitted by health care groups.

Also critical are the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association andstates that have already taken action to forestall the expansionthemselves. Maryland and Washington have both proposed legislationthat would limit enrollment to three months.

“President Trump's latest act of sabotage will expand junkinsurance plans that could increase costs and reduce access toquality coverage for millions, force premium increases on olderAmericans and harm people with pre-existingconditions,” Baldwin says. ”That's why I am leading thiseffort in the U.S. Senate to take action and stop thissabotage.”