By Susan Rupe InsuranceNewsNet
November 16, 2018
The dust has
settled from last week’s midterm elections. So what does it mean for health
care reform?
A trio of
consultants from Manatt Health gave their views on what to expect over the next
two years during a webinar on Thursday.
The midterm
election results have implications for health care on both the federal and
state levels, said Patricia Boozang, Manatt Health senior managing director. In
Congress, a Democratic-controlled House and a Republican Senate and president
mean a shift in direction on health care.
“We will perhaps
see some activity on drug pricing, which is a shared priority of both the White
House and Democrats,” she said. “And we may see some activity on bolstering
popular provisions of the Affordable Care Act.”
Democratic control
of the House means that the Republican battle cry of “repeal and replace” will
be muted in Congress over the next two years, said Chiquita Brooks-LaSure,
Manatt Health managing director.
“This division in
Congress means there is no path forward for major agenda items on either side,”
she said. “Had the Republicans kept control of both houses over the next two
years, Congress would likely move forward with repeal and replace, and also
entitlement reform.”
Room
To Agree
But that doesn’t
mean there is no area for agreement, she added.
There are some
areas for bipartisan agreement in Washington, including drug pricing,
marketplace improvements and price transparency for providers and insurers.
Meanwhile, the
states – and not Congress – are where new health care initiatives are most
likely to take place over the next two years, said Joel Ario, Manatt Health
managing director.
Republicans control
the legislatures of 30 of the 50 states, he noted. “Medicaid transcended the
red/blue divide this election,” he said. “On the state level, the Medicaid
issue is the issue.”
Single-payer
initiatives are expected to emerge in some states, Ario said. He predicted that
a single-payer bill will pass both chambers of the New York state legislature,
forcing governor to either sign the bill or advance coverage alternatives.
Susan Rupe is managing editor for InsuranceNewsNet. She formerly
served as communications director for an insurance agents' association and was
an award-winning newspaper reporter and editor. Contact her atSusan.Rupe@innfeedback.com. Follow her
on Twitter @INNsusan.
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