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... Accountability Office (GAO) made public a report Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE) requested regarding potential alternatives to the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) individual mandate provision, which requires most Americans to purchase health insurance beginning in 2014.  The report studied mechanisms other than the individual mandate, but the results were inconclusive, with ... individual responsibility provision. Read ACS CAN's press release . Defunding Programs in Affordable Care Act The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee passed legislation today to eliminate mandatory funding for several programs created in the ACA, including funding for the ...

Two Years Later, Patient Protections in Affordable Care Act Benefitting Families Affected by Cancer   Two years ago tomorrow, the Affordable Care Act was signed into law with key provisions that are improving access to quality, affordable health care for people with cancer and those at risk of developing the disease.   These provisions include critical patient protections that:   ... access to critical cancer care; ·         Enable children with a history of chronic disease such as cancer to stay on their parents’ health plan until age 26; ·         Prohibit insurers from charging people more for coverage because they have a condition such as cancer; ...

Federal Update   On December 16, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued an advisory bulletin outlining policy direction for states on the essential benefits package. Although the bulletin does not have the force of law, it gives states important guidance as they move toward implementation of health benefit exchanges. HHS plans to publish a formal regulatory proposal, but did not indicate when. Read the HHS press release , ACS CAN's ... and materials to the field.    Litigation   This week the U.S. Supreme Court set its schedule for hearing oral arguments on the Affordable Care Act. The arguments will be spread over three days in March. On March 26, the justices will hear one hour of debate on whether challenges can ...

Federal Update   On Monday, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the final regulation on state health insurance exchanges. As expected, the regulation gives considerable flexibility to the states to make the final decisions on rules and ... and other consumer groups will likely comment on this provision and ask for greater clarification on how consumer protections in the Affordable Care Act will be preserved. The administration has indicated that related regulations--including premium subsidies, Medicaid changes and the rules ...