This week HHS released a preview of its essential benefit requirements, House Republicans indicated they would be prepared with a “replacement” health care package regardless of the Supreme Court’s ruling, and President Obama’s State of the Union Address failed to pay much attention to health reform.
IN THE COURTS
On Friday (1/27), California Attorney General Kamala Harris led 10 states in filing an amicus brief with the Supreme Court urging it not to invalidate the Affordable Care Act in its entirety if the minimum coverage provision is found to be unconstitutional.
Freedom Watch, a conservative lobbying organization, asked the Supreme Court for time to demand Justice Kagan's recusal or disqualification during arguments on the health reform law. This week the Supreme Court said it will not hear these arguments.
AT THE AGENCIES
On Thursday (1/26), HHS released a document intended to preview the kinds of benefits that will be classified as essential benefits, which most health plans must start offering in 2014.
On Thursday (1/26) at a summit on health care innovation, Dr. Richard Gilfillan, acting director of the CMS' Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, urged provider leaders to undertake the technology-driven changes in their systems. The meeting centered on the theme that improving health care quality is the best way to address the rising health care spending crisis.
HHS denied Texas' request for a temporary waiver from the medical-loss ratio requirement that insurance plans devote a minimum percentage of their budgets to providing care to enrollees. Texas is the ninth state for which the Obama administration rejected such a waiver.
CMS is filling in details about how physicians and hospitals may appeal decisions that prevent them from receiving or keeping payment as part of the Electronic Health Record Incentive Program.
ON THE HILL
Rep. Joe Pitts (R-Pa.), chairman of the subcommittee panel on Health for the House Energy and Commerce Committee, indicated that Republicans would be ready with a "replacement" package regardless of the Supreme Court's ruling on the Affordable Care Act.
IN THE STATES
New HampshireDemocrats launched a petition drive to block pending health care compact legislation. Democrats say that if enacted the legislation would defund health programs
THIRD PARTIES
A number of reporters this week analyzed why President Obama paid little attention to the Affordable Care Act in his State of the Union address.
Four members of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce wrote a letter to the White House demanding that it provide internal documents that were leaked to a New Yorker writer. On Monday, the New Yorker published "The Obama Memos," which provided an in-depth look at the documents, including some which provide insight into how the White House Office of Health Reform negotiated and decided on the health care reform legislation.
THIS WEEK
On Wednesday (2/1) at 10:00 a.m., the Georgetown University Law Center's Supreme Court Institute will host a "Mock Moot Court" of Department of Health and Human Services v. Florida.
On Friday (2/3) from 12:15 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. in G-50 Dirksen, the Alliance for Health Reform will host a briefing titled, "Essential Health Benefits: Balancing Affordability and Adequacy."
To view our compilation of recent health care reform implementation news, click here.