opposition is less to do with vulnerable patients than preserving obamacare. chuck schumer claimed that risk pools are "like in ministering cough medicine to someone with stage four cancer" which exploits cancer victims and shows he knows nothing about risk pools. by targeting funds at the sickest patients, states can make insurance market affordable and stable. these subsidies siphon off some of the costs that contribute to the rising premiums of the overall market. it will encourage more people to enroll.