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1-13-11 Affordable Care Act Update
January 14, 2011
Below is this week’s update on the Affordable Care Act. As always, thank you for all you do every day to support laws and policies that help cancer patients and their families
Affordable Care Act Repeal Vote in the House of Representatives
Due to the tragic events in Arizona last weekend, the House of Representatives was not in session this week. All votes, including one on the Affordable Care Act repeal legislation were canceled. Members of the House of Representatives will return to Washington, DC next week, and House Leadership announced today that the House will debate and vote on the repeal bill next Wednesday, January 16th.
It is still unclear how the events of last weekend may impact the legislative debate on the repeal bill. Speaker Boehner and members of the House leadership have stated that repealing the Affordable Care Act remains a top priority. However, the House will have to respond to national calls for Congress to hold a more civil debate on one of the most divisive issues in recent history.
Essential Benefits Requirements in the Affordable Care Act
The Affordable Care Act requires all plans in the individual and small-group markets to offer an essential benefits package. The law only specifies 10 categories of benefits that
must be covered, must be covered, and otherwise leaves the details for developing others to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop the rest through regulations. This week the Institute of Medicine (IOM), which was charged with developing principles for HHS, held its first meeting which will include two days of public hearings. The IOM is expected to complete its work by September. Read coverage from CQ and Kaiser Health News.
What goes into the essential benefits package is hugely important to cancer patients, going to the heart of adequacy of coverage (one of the Society’s “4 As” for meaningful coverage). In addition, ACS CAN wants to make sure that hard-won state guarantees for coverage of screening, early detection, and treatment are included in the package. Read the ACS CAN Essential Benefits background paper for more detail.
Update on State Implementation Activities
Legislative proposals to establish the state exchanges continues to move forward in legislatures across the country, and will be under consideration in many state houses over the next few months. The ACS CAN evaluative tool for state exchanges is being utilized widely with state coalition partners and government officials, including the offices of insurance commissioners and governors. In addition, we are hearing that some states facing budget pressures and other pressing state business are considering a special session later in 2011 to specifically deal with legislation establishing a health exchange and dealing with other Affordable Care Act implementation issues.
Funding for Medicaid programs also continues to come under intense pressure in many states. ACS CAN and Society Divisions are continuing efforts to protect funding and programs that are so critically important for cancer patients.
Christopher W. Hansen
President
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN)