SIIA Confirms Self-Insurance Ally in Senate Reconciliation Debate
Healthcare Reform Signed Into Law
This afternoon, President Obama signed into law the healthcare reform package that passed the House over the weekend. SIIA’s Government Relations Office will be sending out detailed information on the new law’s provisions as well as implementation timelines shortly.
Reconciliation Process to Begin – SIIA Finds Senate Ally to Oppose Our Main Concern
The Senate has just begun its formal debate on the Reconciliation package that was passed by the House on Sunday night. Formal debate will take place during the next few days followed by a time for offering of amendments. It is also at that time where “points of order” can be made against provisions of the bill believed to not have any budgetary effect (which all provisions in a Reconciliation bill are required to have).
As reported earlier by SIIA’s Government Relations Staff, our main concern with the Reconciliation bill is a provision that would apply a number of the insurance market reforms to plans currently grandfathered – plans in existence at the time of enactment. SIIA’s Government Relations Staff has been working with Senators to educate them on the harmful consequences such a provision would have. This afternoon we were able to secure a commitment that both an amendment to strike this provision from the bill and a budget point-of-order against it, will be offered during consideration.
SIIA’s Government Relations Staff will continue to report information as it becomes available during the Senate’s consideration of the Reconciliation bill.
How SIIA Intends to Educate its Members Further
Given the obvious importance of this new legislation, regardless of how the reconciliation process moves forward, SIIA will be holding a series of one-day seminars in different locations across the country in the next 60 days to provide members a more in-depth information to help their businesses prepare for change. Watch for seminar date/times to be announced shortly.
Comments