The Legislative Budget Board (LBB) has published its Federal Healthcare Reform Legislative Primer to the 82nd Legislature.
The federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, together referred to as the Affordable Care Act (ACA), are expected to make significant changes to the healthcare industry in America, affecting individuals, businesses and governments in the U.S. through broad-reaching reforms in the insurance industry, expansion of health insurance coverage, and new investments in public health. The LBB’s Federal Healthcare Reform Legislative Primer provides an overview of the main aspects of these laws that are expected to affect the state’s budget, such as health insurance market reforms, health insurance exchanges, health insurance subsidies, employer mandates, Medicaid expansion, primary healthcare workforce expansion and higher education funding.
The ACA provides challenges and opportunities for Texas. While many changes take effect at the beginning of calendar year 2014, the state will need to have processes in place to comply with the ACA requirements. Development of exchanges must occur before the Eighty-third Texas Legislature convenes. Similarly, changes required for the expansion in the Medicaid population must be identified and planned before 2014. The Eighty-second Texas Legislature will have the opportunity to fully consider and address these issues so implementation in
2014 is smooth, with minimal disruption of insurance markets.
A full copy of the primer can be found by visiting:
http://www.lbb.state.tx.us/Federal_Funds/Other_Publications/Federal_Healthcare_Reform_Primer.pdf