Back on Capitol Hill, the GOP-led House will also likely take a close look at the ACA-created Independent Payment Advisory Board, said Ms. Johnson. The IPAB, charged with looking at how the federal government pays physicians, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, and other health providers, would have broad powers that make many Republicans uncomfortable, she said.
In his perspective piece, Mr. Aaron wrote that that Republicans could also tinker with the ACA by cutting off funding for implementation via the appropriations process, or even try to prohibit the Health and Human Services department from writing regulations. Some of those regulations are due to come out in the next 2 months – before the start of the 112th Congress.