Will Congress Repeal Health Care Reform?

Controversy has surrounded the health care reform legislation since it was signed into law on March 23, 2010. This debate entered Congress once again when Republicans took control of the House of Representatives in November 2010.

As promised, House Republicans attempted to repeal the law. Thus far, these efforts have not been successful, due to a Democrat-controlled Senate and the promise of a veto by President Obama.

However, because full repeal of the law would be difficult, Republicans have indicated that they will try to replace or repeal parts of the law instead. Provisions that may be revised or repealed include:

·      The requirement for businesses to report payments in excess of $600 on a Form 1099. (This is already being discussed, as the U.S. Senate recently approved a bill to repeal this measure and the House has similar bills proposed.)

·      The provisions in which employers can face penalties for not providing health coverage to employees

·      The individual responsibility requirement, which imposes penalties on individuals who do not obtain coverage

·      The Cadillac Plan tax on high-cost, employer-sponsored health plans

·      The tax on manufacturers of medical devices

·      Cuts to Medicare

Employers should make sure they are implementing the requirements as they become effective, until more is known about potential changes.