Page 10 - HFA Dateline 2016 Q4 Winter

Health Policy, Post-Election

By Katie Verb, JD; Miriam Goldstein, JD; Deema Tarazi, JD

n the aftermath of the 2016 presidential election, we are in ACA’s Medicaid expansion could endanger coverage for mil-
Ia time of substantial uncertainty about the future of the US lions of Medicaid recipients—and at the same time drastically,
health care system. While we can’t predict the future, it’s safe to and negatively, impact state budgets.
say that many of the proposed changes will be challenging for Medicare
people with chronic conditions. The Affordable Care Act (ACA)
contained many provisions that have become vital to those with Speaker Ryan and House Budget Committee Chairman/
bleeding disorders, including guaranteed access and issue, the Health and Human Services (HHS) nominee, Tom Price, have
elimination of lifetime caps, and extended coverage for young also announced plans to fast-track, via budget legislation, a
adults. In the coming months, it is vital for our community to far-reaching overhaul of the Medicare program. This would,
stay informed and at the ready to take action when necessary. among other things, raise the age of eligibility for future Medi-
care beneficiaries from 65 to 67 and replace the current Medi-
Repeal and Replace care program with a premium support or “voucher” plan under

President-elect Trump campaigned on a promise to “repeal which seniors would get a fixed sum to buy healthcare cover-
and replace” the Affordable Care Act (ACA), but we have no age on the private insurance market.
way of knowing how far and how fast the incoming administra- Our greatest concern is that all of these proposals—insurance
tion and Congress will move toward that goal. Recently, Speak- reform repeal, Medicaid funding changes, Medicare over-
er Paul Ryan suggested that the transition could take longer haul—would weigh heaviest on the people who most need good
than expected in order to ensure that those who rely on the healthcare coverage, including those with high-cost chronic
ACA are not left without coverage. The Trump transition team disorders. Check out the Transition Tracker on our website,
has issued one page of talking points affirming its intention www.hemophiliafed.org, to stay informed of potential changes.
to repeal and replace ACA. The “replacement” policies listed n n
in that document (Health Savings Accounts, insurance sales
across state lines, and high risk pools for high-cost individuals)
would not come close to providing the same level of coverage CYRIL
to the same number of people as does the ACA. Congressional
Republicans have proposed multiple “replacement” proposals HOME CARE
but many of them appear less comprehensive in scope than
the ACA, and legislators have failed to coalesce around any
one of them. While President-elect Trump and Speaker Ryan PHARMACY
have expressed general support for keeping specific ACA
patient protections (a ban on coverage exclusions for
pre-existing conditions and allowing children up to age 26 We only have one
to stay on their parents’ insurance), it is not clear how effective motto and mission.
those protections would be if separated out from the broader We would like for you to be
ACA framework, or if they remain in some form, how much able to look back and say:
insurers might charge for those protections. “ My life with
Medicaid hemophilia is better

The President-elect and Congressional Republicans have today than it was
also committed to “block-grant” or cap federal funding for before we ever met. ”
Medicaid. It is unclear at the moment whether they will also John and Carol Reed John Reed DPh
seek an outright rollback of the ACA’s Medicaid expansion.
Vice President-elect Mike Pence has suggested that, in lieu
of repeal, the Trump Administration might instead grant 118 E. Missouri Ave. • PO Box 676 • Cyril, OK 73029
states additional leeway to modify their expanded Medicaid Toll Free: 888.258.2453 • Fax: 877.464.3108
programs. Both the block-grant proposal and repeal of the chcp@tds.net • www.cyrilhomecare.com

10 Dateline Federation | Winter 2016