More than 1,200 individuals across the four-county region could potentially be impacted by President Donald Trump’s order to “immediately” stop payments to insurance providers.

In fact, people might have to pay 20 percent more for marketplace health insurance premiums next year, say a federal politician and groups.

But Erick Radline, via the The Era’s Facebook page, said he agrees with Trump’s action.

“This doesn’t force anything on anyone and if it works the way it should, will bring down costs for millions of Americans as well as giving individuals and small businesses the ability to create associations which gives them leverage to negotiate good plans at reasonable costs,” he said. “If you’re against this then you have no understanding of capitalism or economics. It gives more power to the people rather than forcing people into exchanges which are failing.”

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., doesn’t see it that way.

“These are payments that ensure health care is affordable for millions of Americans. The only result of this cruel action will be to hurt people,” he said in a prepared statement. “This decision will raise premiums and cost middle class families their hard-earned dollars while wreaking havoc in the insurance marketplace.”

Cost-sharing reduction payments would no longer go to individuals whose incomes are at 250 percent of the federal poverty line or below, said Marc Stier, director of the PA Budget and Policy Center. That would result in large increases in what people with incomes below $30,150 for an individual and $61,500 for a family of four pay for insurance.

According to the Pennsylvania Insurance Department, 2017 Marketplace enrollment, as of Feb. 3, totalled more than 426,000. At the time, the federal Department of Health and Human Services estimated that 75 percent of returning marketplace consumers would be able to find a 2017 plan for less than $100 a month after financial assistance.

The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services reports that 129 people in Cameron County are enrolled in 2017 marketplace plans with 63 people using cost-sharing reductions and 106 people using advance payments of the premium tax credit; Elk County, 851 people with 453 using CSR and 704 APTC; Potter County, 542 people with 294 using CSR and 441 using APTC; and McKean County, 782 people with 458 using CSR and 630 using APTC.

“No, insurance companies should not get subsidies to lower costs…. yes costs will skyrocket and no taxes will not go down…. pretty gloomy reality, ” said Zach Hayes of Limestone, N.Y.

Via The Era’s Facebook page, Timothy Krott said he agrees 100 percent with Trump’s move, which is forcing Congress to pursue a “real health care plan.”

“(President Barack) Obama care did nothing but make insurance companies rich,” he said.

Although officials at The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania have concerns over Trump’s action, Andy Carter, president and CEO of The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania, said hospitals across the state remain devoted to working with policymakers to protect access to high-quality health care coverage.

That is also a concern of former healthcare professional, U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa.

“I have consistently advocated for a high-quality, flexible healthcare system that meets the needs of hard-working Americans and their families,” he said. “By directing the Departments of Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services to facilitate the purchase of healthcare coverage across state lines, expand access to low-cost, short term health coverage, and grow the use of Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) through an executive order, the President is taking an important step towards providing much needed relief to the American people.”

But Casey said he is calling on Trump to ditch the destructive, partisan approach and back bipartisan legislation.

“The best hope for the ACA exchanges is legal action to block President Trump’s immediate action to eliminate the cost-sharing payments,” Stier said.

But, he added that, “Court action, however, may not come soon enough to save the ACA marketplaces.”