Dive Brief:
- On Tuesday, the House Ways and Means Committee passed legislation to repeal core areas of the ACA, including the individual mandate, the controversial Cadillac tax, the employer mandate, the medical device tax and the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB).
- Upon passage, Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) stated, “[W]e have the opportunity to get a repeal bill not only through the House -- but actually to the president’s desk.”
- The vote was 23-14, with, not surprisingly, all Democrats opposing the measure and all Republicans in favor, Modern Healthcare reports.
Dive Insight:
This legislation marks the 61st vote to repeal the ACA, noted a statement from the Ways and Means Committee Democrats. Modern Healthcare reports almost all such measures have perished in the Senate.
This time, a process called reconciliation is being used, which prevents Senate Democrats from killing the bill. While the President can still veto the measure, Modern Healthcare reports it could be a foundation for dismantling the law “if Republicans retake the White House in 2016.”