2 minute read: On July 8, 2020 the Supreme Court handed down its decision in Little Sisters of the Poor v. Pennsylvania, upholding the new Trump Administration rule regarding contraceptive …
Republicans
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Affordable Care Act
ACA Changes Continue to Stabilize the Marketplace
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen3 minute read: According to research by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), there will be an average of 4.5 insurers per state this year, up from 4.0 in 2019 and …
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2 minute read: The Affordable Care Act has seemed to turn the corner. On a number of fronts, it appears that the ACA is now being accepted as a beneficial …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
Will 2019 be the Year for Statewide Individual Health Insurance Mandates?
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen3 minute read: Since the Trump Administration took office, the ACA has been under fire from the White House and many Congressional Republicans. Legislative repeal of the ACA failed. However, …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
ACA Support May Dictate Midterm Election Results
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen2 minute read: Americans across the country will report to their respective poll places to cast their ballots in the midterm elections on November 6, and the issue of healthcare …
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Affordable Care ActElectionHealthcare
Midterm Elections Won’t Affect the Employer Mandate
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen2 minute read: Since President Trump took office, a top priority has been to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and his administration continues its attempts to undermine …
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Affordable Care Act
More States Move Forward with Reinsurance Programs
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen3 minute read: The Trump administration has made repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act a top priority. What’s interesting, however, is that as the White House continues to undermine …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
More Americans Paying for ACA Health Plans
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen2 minute read: It’s no secret that replacing the law is a top priority for President Trump and a majority of Republicans in Congress. Recent data from the Centers for …
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Affordable Care ActHealthcare
ACA and Healthcare Grow in Popularity as Midterms Draw Near
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen2 minute read: Studies show that voters have prioritized healthcare as a top issue to be addressed in the upcoming 2018 midterm elections in November. For the first time in …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
ACA Complexity to Grow as States Develop Their Own Healthcare Solutions [UPDATE]
by Robert Sheenby Robert Sheen5 minute read: The many false starts of the Republican-led effort to dismantle the Affordable Care Act (ACA), along with the Trump administration’s continued efforts to undermine the healthcare law, …
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Affordable Care ActHealthcare
Individual Healthcare Mandate Being Considered in Maryland [UPDATE]
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenSenate Republicans added repeal of the ACA’s individual mandate to the Senate’s tax reform bill to save nearly $340 billion in federal funds during the next decade to mitigate increases …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
The Affordable Care Act Has Helped Millions, But There’s More Work To Do
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenIn 2010, former President Barack Obama introduced the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in an effort to provide more Americans with health coverage. Over the course of its now-nearly eight-year run, …
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The late Kenneth J. Arrow, Nobel-winning economist and one of the most brilliant minds of the 20th century, would be dismayed at action being taken by Republicans in Congress to …
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Affordable Care ActIRS
The IRS Issues Guidance on the ACA’s Individual Mandate While Congress Looks to Repeal It
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenDuring 2017, the IRS has steadfastly avoided being swayed by the political breezes, even when they seemed to reach hurricane-level velocity. When President Trump and Republicans in Congress were readying …
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Affordable Care ActTax Reform
Tax Reform Bills Keep ACA Employer Mandate Intact
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThrowback Thursday Feature from Wednesday, December 6, 2017. When the U.S. House and Senate Republicans meet in conference to discuss how they will reconcile their two different tax reform legislations, among …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
ACA Enrollment Continues at Faster Pace From Previous Year
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThey say that you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone, a theory that may be true for the Affordable Care Act (ACA). It was just months ago when …
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As we enter into the annual Thanksgiving break, there is much to be thankful for. Most lists will include giving thanks for family, friends, and employment. And almost 1.5 million …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Insurance Marketplace
The Healthcare Marketplace is Stabilizing Around the ACA
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenWe are well into open enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Despite significant increases in premium rates for 2018, enrollment for healthcare coverage on HealthCare.gov is higher than …
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Affordable Care Act
With ACA Open Enrollment Weeks Away, Trump Cancellation of CSR Payments Not Deterring Insurers
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenPerhaps only time will tell if President Trump can succeed where Republicans in Congress have failed to obliterate the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The President’s ambitious attempts to derail the …
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ACA ReformAffordable Care Act
Back to Congress: Changes to Modify the ACA to Continue Subsidy Payments to Insurers to Stabilize Insurance Markets Are Still In Play
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenBipartisan discussions spearheaded by the U.S. Senate’s Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions may lead to legislation that will continue cost-sharing reduction (CSR) payments to insurance companies providing health …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
In Contrast to Federal Government, California Institutes New Laws to Bolster ACA
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenWhile the White House and many Republicans in Washington, D.C., seem intent on undermining the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the statehouse in Sacramento is doing something to bolster it. The …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
CHIP Reauthorization in Congressional Committees Sees Mixed Results
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThere were mixed results yesterday in Congress as Senate and House committees considered bills reauthorizing funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The program provided healthcare coverage to 8.9 …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Reform
Possible Extension Of Cost-Sharing Reduction Payments, More Flexibility for States May Face A Challenge
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions hearings on the Affordable Care Act could lead to bipartisan legislation for Congressional approval to continue cost-sharing reduction (CSR) payments …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
U.S. Senate Health Committee Works to Reach Consensus With Healthcare Hearings Over
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenCan they reach a bipartisan consensus on fixing healthcare? That’s the question now that the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions has completed its hearings on stabilizing …
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ACA ReportingIRS
Independent of the Bipartisan Effort to Reform Healthcare, the IRS Continues to Enforce the ACA
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenIn the wake of Congress being unable to pass ACA repeal and replace legislation, a bipartisan effort seems to be growing around improving the ACA. Indeed, a majority of Americans …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
Americans Want a Bipartisan Approach to Healthcare, According to a New KFF Poll
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenNow that the great Affordable Care Act (ACA) repeal and replace debate has seemingly ended in Congress, we’ve seen movement by members of Congress towards a bipartisan approach to healthcare …
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HealthcareLegislation
Congress Moves Toward Bipartisan Approaches to Address Healthcare Issues
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenA spirit of bipartisanship in Congress seems to be rising from the rubble of the failed Republican efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. The first test of …
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Affordable Care ActMedicaid
Medicaid Receives Praise From Its Recipients
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThere’s a fallacy amongst some people that suggests Medicaid recipients are receiving less than stellar healthcare. That couldn’t be further from the truth according to a new study from Harvard’s …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Reform
Americans Dissatisfied With Senate ACA Replacement, Per KFF Study; Senate Vote is Delayed Until After July 4
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe fate of Obamacare will not be determined this week. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told Senate Republicans that a vote on the Senate replacement plan called “Better Care Reconciliation …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Reform
Complexities Await Should ACA Be Amended Prior To Repeal
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenOn June 26, President Trump tweeted, “Republican Senators are working very hard to get there, with no help from the Democrats. Not easy! Perhaps just let OCare crash & burn!” …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Reform
Senate Republicans Ready ACA Replacement Plan In Private
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenEarlier this year, House Republicans gathered in the wee hours of the morning to secretly prepare a replacement plan for the repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The result …
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Health Care CoverageMedicaid
Will Medicaid Be A Casualty Of The AHCA? New Study Shows Americans Are Concerned
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenWhile the Affordable Care Act made significant strides in Medicaid Expansion, that may all change should the American Health Care Act (AHCA) be put into action. While federal funding for …
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Affordable Care ActTax Reform
The Questionable Fate Of Trump’s Promises For Tax Reform
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenOn May 30, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer explained that President Trump’s “plan for the most significant tax reform in decades continues to progress.” However, that may not reflect …
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Affordable Care ActAmerican Health Care Act (AHCA)
Has The Public Changed Its Tune On The Affordable Care Act?
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe fate of the Affordable Care Act currently rests in the hands of Senate as they dissect Trump’s American Health Care Act and either approve it, dismantle it or just …
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American Health Care Act (AHCA)Health Care Coverage
CBO Scoring Shows 23 Million Will Lose Insurance by 2026 Under the Revised House Healthcare Bill
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenSo much of Senate’s decisions appear to be surrounding the House GOP’s proposed healthcare bill rested on a score from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The scoring was guaranteed by …
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Affordable Care ActAmerican Health Care Act (AHCA)
Featured Press: 3 Issues For Business As The U.S. Senate Tackles Trumpcare
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenOp-Ed originally published in The Business Journals. After some false starts, Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives finally passed the American Health Care Act (AHCA), as amended, the first step …
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Affordable Care ActAmerican Health Care Act (AHCA)Health Care Coverage
Republican Congress Members Maintain Their ACA Benefits In The Midst Of A Repeal
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenWhen Trump’s revamp of his American Health Care Act (AHCA) was green lit by the House, Republicans who were anti-ACA found this to be a win. Despite the Senate feeling …
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Affordable Care Act
Senate Begins Drafting Its Own ACA Replacement Bill, Some Related Taxes May Stay
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenWithin hours of Trump’s proposed American Health Care Act bill passing through House vote with only four votes despite a large Republican majority, rumors circulated that it would more than …
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On April 30th, President Trump tweeted the following in a series of two tweets: “You can’t compare anything to ObamaCare because ObamaCare is dead,” he tweeted. “Dems want billions to …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
New Bill Allows Non-Exchange Health Plan Purchases With ACA Credits
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenWhen Senate Republicans proposed the repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a major point of focus was the elimination of ACA-mandated taxes, including the Employer and Individual …
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It’s hard to believe that the Affordable Care Act has been the law of the land for over seven years. Just a month ago the ACA’s demise seemed inevitable according …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
Another Attempt to Repeal the ACA in the Foreseeable Future? Unlikely.
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenIt’s been more than seven years since the enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) and there were some 60 plus attempts to repeal by Republicans during …
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Affordable Care Act
Businesses Need to Make Affordable Care Act Filings with the IRS by March 31 or Request an Automatic Extension
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenSome businesses may have suffered from wishful thinking when the legislation to repeal and replace the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) was proposed by Speaker Ryan and trumpeted …
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Affordable Care ActAmerican Health Care Act (AHCA)
Breaking: Affordable Care Act Will Not Be Repealed Due To Votes
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe New York Times broke the story today that House Speaker Paul Ryan “rushed” to the White House to explain to President Trump that he lacked the votes to repeal …
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American Health Care Act (AHCA)MedicaidPolitical Parties
Republicans Amend the American Health Care Act to Add a Work Requirement for Medicaid Eligibility
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenWith the House vote on the American Health Care Act (AHCA) looming for Thursday and concern of its approval among conservatives in the House, GOP leadership has added a “manager’s …
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Affordable Care ActHealth Care Coverage
The ACA Replacement Plan Likely To Save Money But Add 24 Million Uninsured
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenRepublican House Speaker Paul Ryanrecently released the House leadership’s plan for an ACA repeal and replacement. While more light was shed on previously unanswered questions such as the fate of …
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Affordable Care ActAmerican Health Care Act (AHCA)
Just Weeks After Replacement Plan Surfaces, House GOP Readies Amendments
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenA few weeks ago, Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan voiced the House GOP’s plans for a repeal and the replacement plan, which placed a heavy focus on eliminating ACA-mandated taxes. …
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Health Care CoverageReporting
Employer Reporting Continues Under House Republican Leadership Proposed Bill
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenOn March 6, 2017, the House Leadership recently unveiled its proposed bill called “American Health Care Act.”Among its provisions, the bill calls for termination of the issuance of premium tax …
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Affordable Care ActRegulations
House Republican Leadership Announce Their ACA Repeal and Replace Bill
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenThe Republican leadership in the House recently proposed its ACA repeal and replace bill. It remains uncertain as to whether Republicans can secure enough support amongst themselves to pass the …
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Affordable Care ActElection
Will GOP Senators Struggle with Re-Election with an ACA Repeal?
by Robert Sheenby Robert SheenOne thing is for certain when it comes to the Affordable Care Act: it keeps the people talking. As Republicans talk of a repeal, with a replacement plan that will …