The Black Lung Program News Today

Coal country in kentucky, talking to people who were attracted to donald trump and his message of bringing back coal jobs. now theyre kind of struggling with, well, what will this mean if obamacare is repealed from our health care coverage. i want to play a little sound from some of his reporting. >> president-elect trump promised people he would restore mining jobs. i dont think he thought about what the affordable care act might mean to miners applying for black lung benefits. >> when they eli...

Coal miner for 35 years. officially supported hillary clinton. but -- >> i voted for trump. may be a mistake but i heard him say he would bring coal back. >> reporter: a mistake maybe because he now suffers from black lung disease. >> from there to here, you can see a difference in my breathing that close. >> reporter: he vote for trump to bring jobs back but now fears trumps promise to kill obama care will also end his black lung benefits. >> when they eliminate the obama care, they may just el...

All the black lung program. it may all be gone. dont matter how many years you got. >> reporter: three sentences in the affordable care act made it easier for victims of black lung to get monthly federal benefits if they worked 15 years or more in the mines. and if they died, the benefits automatically extended to their widows. >> i will be drawing $643.42. >> once a month? >> once a month. >> reporter: patty just got her first payment. her husband crawford, after 32 years in the mines, died in ...

Some trump voters are also worried about what the man they elected president will do to their health care. debbie mills who voted for trump in kentucky gets her health insurance through the affordable care act, and so does her husband. she told "the washington post" i dont know what well do if it does go away. i guess i thought that, you know, trump would not do this, that they would not do this, would not take the insurance away, knowing that its affecting so many peoples lives. i mean what are...

Debbie mills who voted for trump in kentucky gets her health insurance through the affordable care act, and so does her husband. she told "the washington post" i dont know what well do if it does go away. i guess i thought that, you know, trump would not do this, that they would not do this, would not take the insurance away, knowing that its affecting so many peoples lives. i mean what are you to do, then, if you cannot purchase, cannot pay for the insurance? another voter in kentucky who worke...

The support of many coal miners, yet now theyre worried their votes will end up hurting both their health and their finances. cnns miguel marquez has this report. >> reporter: the coal-laden hills of eastern kentucky. >> were going to bring the coal industry back. >> reporter: trump country. a democrat and coal miner for 35 years initially supported hillary clinton. but -- >> i voted for trump. may be a mistake, but i heard him say hed bring coal back. >> reporter: a mistake, maybe, because he n...

Promises including bringing back jobs to coal country and repealing obamacare that won him the support of many coal miners, yet now theyre worried their votes will end up hurting both their health and their finances. cnns miguel marquez has this report. >> reporter: the coal-laden hills of eastern kentucky. >> were going to bring the coal industry back. >> reporter: trump country. neil yonts, a democrat and coal miner for 35 years, initially supported hillary clinton. but -- >> i voted for trump...