• by Wayne Friedman , September 1, 2017

The Trump Administration will dramatically cut the government's ad budget supporting Obamacare. The cuts represent a 90% spending reduction for the upcoming enrollment period.

This year, during a shortened sign-up period from November 1 through December 15, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which administers Obamacare, said on Thursday it would spend just $10 million in advertising -- almost completely slashing the $100 million spent a year ago. 

The CMS says it will target consumers this year through digital media, email and text messages. 

Additionally, CNN says it is cutting funding for so-called "navigators" for the program -- those help people sign up for coverage -- by 41%, to $37 million for the coming enrollment season.

Last year, 9.2 million people signed up for coverage through the federal exchange, healthcare.gov. In 2015, CMM spent $51.2 million in advertising and 9.6 million Americans signed on.

In July, after Congress couldn’t pass legislation to change Obamacare, President Trump said: “Let Obamacare fail. It’ll be a lot easier, and I think we’re probably in that position where we’ll just let Obamacare fail. We’re not going to own it. I’m not going to own it. I can tell you the Republicans are not going to own it.”

Certain states are going in the other direction.

For example, California plans to spend $111.5 million for the 2017-2018 open enrollment period, an increase of $5.3 million over a year ago.