The U.S. House voted 238-183 to strip the funding included in last year’s federal health reform law for states to establish health insurance exchanges.
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Frederick Upton
The House’s Republican majority advanced the bill, which is almost certain to die either in the Democrat-led Senate or with a promised veto by President Barack Obama.
Since the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in March 2010, states have been working toward implementing the health exchanges. The exchanges, to be established in each state, will give individuals and small business owners a one-stop shop for comparing health plans, enrolling in coverage and obtaining federal subsidies.
The House bill, introduced by Rep. Frederick Upton (R-Mich.) stripped the authority of the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to distribute grants to states for planning and implementing the exchanges.
Upton said he was concerned about how the health exchange bill gives the executive branch, through the HSS secretary, “sole authority to determine the size of the appropriation” to states.
In the hours leading up to the vote, a chorus of health exchange advocates, including acting Maryland Insurance Commissioner Beth Sammis, voiced concern about the possible cut in funding.
A second House bill, expected to come up for vote today (May 4), would strip funding from another provision in the health reform law. The bill would kill funding for grants for the construction of school-based health centers.
Since winning a majority in the House in the November 2010 mid-term elections, Republicans have targeted the health reform law for repeal in a number of funding initiatives.
The health reform law passed last year, led by Democrats who had a majority in both the House and Senate.
U.S. House kills health reform funding for state health exchanges via IFAwebnews .
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