From his statements on Tuesday, it’s hard to figure out just how the Affordable Care Act impacts Donald Trump’s employees.
Appearing at his resort in Doral, Florida, Trump insisted the act was causing havoc for his workers.
“I can say that all of my employees are having a tremendous problem with Obamacare,” he said with scores of workers at the resort clustered behind him. “What they are going through with their health care is horrible because of Obamacare, so we’ll repeal and replace it.”
The statement raised several questions. Since the law requires any business with 50 or more employees to provide health insurance or pay a fine, why would “all” of Trump’s employees be getting their insurance through Obamacare and having problems with it? Does he not provide health insurance?
Well, actually he does, according to the manager of the Doral resort. David Feder, the general manager of Doral, later told reporters that the resort provides health insurance to 99% of the resort’s 1,200 employees.
“Over 90%, without a doubt,” Feder said.
According to Feder, only part-time seasonal workers are not covered and may get their insurance through the Obamacare exchanges.
So Feder contradicted his boss. But, later in an interview with Fox News, Trump, in essence, contradicted himself.
“Well, I don’t use much Obamacare,” Trump said in the interview. “I must be honest with you, because it is so bad for the people and they can’t afford it. And like, for instance, I’m at Trump National Doral in Miami, and we don’t even use Obamacare. We don’t want it. The people don’t want it, and I spend more money on health coverage, but we don’t use it.”
So at one point in the day, Trump says his employees are suffering because they are using Obamacare. At another, he said they are not using it.
We’re confused.