obama

PPACA Implementation will continue but with some challenges from the Republicans and States

With razor thin margins in key swing states, President Barack Obama has been elected to a second term, beating out his Republican challenger, former governor Mitt Romney.

Pundits and political insiders waited to call the election until poll results came in from Ohio.  After it was clear President Obama had won that state, and another key swing state of Virginia, many media outlets announced that he had won this re-election bid to stay in the White House.  Mr. Romney conceded the race early Wednesday morning.

Results of a new study reveal the struggle employers face as they try to balance implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) while controlling costs.  The 17^th Annual Towers Watson/National Business Group on Health Employer Survey on Purchasing Value in Health Care polled mid-sized and large employers about their 2013 health benefits, yielding responses from 512 participants with a total of $87 billion in 2011 health care expenditures.  The employer responses reflect a broad range of businesses, covering over 6.6 million employees. 

To conclude our examination of the new exchange rule recently issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), this blog summarizes the rule’s treatment of states as the primary regulatory authority for both Brokers and navigators.  In two previous blogs analyzing the rule’s requirements, we wrote about the new opportunities available to Brokers under the rule, and the rule’s acknowledgment of the important role Brokers can assume in the establishment of new Exchanges.
 
States Continue to Oversee Brokers

On January 6, 2012, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), one of the most talked about pieces of legislation passed in recent memory. In addition, over a half dozen amicus curiae briefs have been filed since then by interested parties wanting to weigh in on the case.  Oral arguments on the merits of the new health care reform law are scheduled for late March. 

Last week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that the Obama Administration would not be implementing the long-term care insurance plan included in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).