Yesterday, the Republicans regained control of the U.S. House of Representatives, capturing 60+ seats and gaining at least six seats in the U.S. Senate. Republicans also won key governor races across the country. How do these state and national results affect providers?
Republican victors have vowed to repeal President Barack Obama’s health care reform law, an almost impossible task given the Democratic Senate and White House. From Kaiser Health News:
While unable to overturn the federal law, the newly elected officials will be under pressure to act. They could lean on congressional delegations to repeal or change the legislation, seek waivers from some of its provisions, veto state legislation related to it and appoint like-minded people to important positions, such as insurance commissioner slots.
At the very least, states may opt to slow implementation, while Republican lawmakers look ahead to the 2012 presidential election.
“If the Republican governors were to get together and say ‘we’re going to derail this train,’ they could do much more to reverse the national health [law] than an effort to repeal it in Congress,” said Ross Baker, a political science professor at Rutgers University. “The governors could, without defying federal law, simply implement it inefficiently, throw sand in the gears.”
To be sure, some political observers say that as the dust settles, even governors who vehemently opposed the bill may realize if they don’t act in key areas – such as establishing health insurance marketplaces – the federal government will do it for them. In addition, the new law includes federal funding to expand the Medicaid program and grants to set up or bolster other programs, including public health. Governors may be reluctant to turn down the money.
While Congress may end up deadlocked on repealing or limiting health care reform, state officials will have to act. The law is in effect, and states must grapple with adding millions of people to Medicaid programs. The health care reform law cuts Medicare and increases Medicaid spending.
