Information contained in this publication is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or opinion, nor is it a substitute for the professional judgment of an attorney.
Update: As expected, on April 14 the House and Senate passed the budget bill, sending the measure to the President for his signature. The Senate rejected a proposed resolution that would have de-funded the Affordable Care Act.
The eleventh-hour budget deal reached on April 8, 2011 would impact a number of healthcare and employment-related programs. Overall, the Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act of 2011 (H.R. 1473), (pdf) commonly referred to as the continuing resolution (CR) to fund the federal government though September 30, 2011, cuts approximately $13 billion in appropriations from the President’s funding request for the U.S. Departments of Labor, Education, and Health and Human Services. Some initiatives are extended under the measure, while others are reduced or eliminated entirely. A full list of the program cuts can be found here. (pdf)
Health Care
Among other casualties (pdf) of the budget deal are two programs created by the Affordable Care Act – the Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan (CO-OP) and the Free Choice Voucher programs. The CO-OP program was designed to foster the creation of qualified nonprofit health insurance issuers that would have offered qualified health plans in the individual and small group markets. These plans were intended to compete with the private insurance market. Continue reading this entry at Littler’s Washington DC Employment Law Update.