Many of our clients and prospects have been asking the same question…”Now that President Trump is in office, what is going to happen with the ACA? When do you foresee changes? What is going to happen to Covered California?” These are all valid questions and concerns. We are going to stay informed of any changes affecting our clients and provide updates.
On January 20, 2017, President Trump issued and Executive Order to minimize the economic burden of the ACA. This Order identifies the new administration’s policy for addressing and enforcing the ACA while Congressional Republicans craft legislation to repeal and replace the ACA.
The Order directs the agencies responsible for the administration and enforcement of the ACA to exercise the authority and discretion available to them:
“To the maximum extent permitted by law…waive, defer, grant exemptions from, or delay the implementation of any provision or requirement that would impose a cost, fee, tax, penalty, or regulatory burden on individuals, families, healthcare providers, health insurers, patients, recipients of healthcare services, purchasers of health insurance, or makers of medical devices, products, or medications.”
“Provide greater flexibility to states, and cooperate with them in implementing health care programs; and encourage the development of a free and open market for the offering of health care services and health insurance.”
The Order serves as a policy statement and the applicable agencies are not likely to take immediate action on this directive. However, once the Department heads for the Health and Human Services, the Treasury, and the Department of Labor are confirmed and in place, we may see guidance on how they intend to enforce (or not to enforce) certain provisions of the law.
Stay tuned…we will discuss in our following blog posts the impact to employers and the impact to employees.
We will continue to monitor and report developments. If you have any questions, please contact MNJ Insurance Solutions at (714) 716-4303.
This content is provided for informational purposes only. While we have attempted to provide current, accurate and clearly expressed information, this information is provided “as is” and MNJ Insurance Solutions makes no representations or warranties regarding its accuracy and completeness. The information provided should not be construed as legal or tax advice or as a recommendation of any kind. External users should seek professional advice form their own attorneys and tax and benefit plan advisers with respect to their individual circumstances and needs.
