ACA Litigation: Politics Pursued through Other Means.

Despite its passage a decade ago, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) remains a politically divisive law. These political divisions have long been on display in Congress, in the White House, and in states. A long-standing stalemate in Congress-where Republicans cannot repeal the law and Democrats cannot improve it-has emboldened efforts by the executive branch to act unilaterally to implement, or undermine, the ACA.

The ACA And The Courts: Litigation's Effects On The Law's Implementation And Beyond.

The Affordable Care Act's legacy extends beyond its provision of health insurance to millions of previously uninsured people and its improved consumer protections. It has also had a significant impact on the US legal system. Litigation over the law began on the day of its enactment and has been a constant in the decade since.

An Autumn Docket Heavy On Health Policy.

A spate of health policy litigation featured a challenge to the individual mandate and the entire ACA.

Health Policy Was Bustin' Out All Over.

The Trump administration refused to defend important provisions of the ACA in court and pursued rules that could open the door to less-regulated insurance options.

Market Stabilization Stalls; States Step In.

As federal efforts to stabilize the individual market foundered on abortion coverage, states adopted a variety of approaches. The 2019 payment notice broadened states' options in implementing the ACA.

Idaho's Actions Continue Challenges For ACA.

The Trump administration proposed liberalizing rules governing non-ACA-compliant, short-term coverage; responding to state guidance, Blue Cross of Idaho filed health plans not meeting ACA requirements.

Work Requirements And Conscience Protections.

The Trump administration broke from its predecessors by authorizing Medicaid work requirements. It also proposed to dramatically broaden rights to refuse to provide treatments for religious and moral reasons.

Active December Caps Historic Year For Reform.

The month brought the repeal of the individual mandate's penalties, but also 2018 enrollment numbers rivaling those of 2017.

Mandate Repeal Provision Ends Health Care Calm.

Marketplace enrollment for 2018 has been robust in the face of several obstacles, but the ACA faces a new threat after the Senate's vote to repeal the individual mandate.

ACA Open Enrollment Starts Amidst Tumult.

The Affordable Care Act continues to be buffeted by administration actions; a bipartisan market stabilization effort emerges in Congress.

The Morality of Health Care Reform: Liberal and Conservative Views and the Space between Them.

We have just completed an exhausting nine-month debate on the future of the Affordable Care Act. I see this debate as having ended-as of this writing-in a draw. After months of repeal efforts, Republicans in the House barely passed in early May, with a 217-to-213 margin, the American Health Care Act, which would have significantly amended the ACA.

Much Activity, Uncertainty Remains.

Bipartisan market stabilization negotiations gave way to a last-gasp attempt at repeal and replace; the ACA emerged intact but buffeted by uncertainty.

A Midsummer Night's Strange Reality.

After GOP efforts to repeal and replace the ACA collapsed in the Senate, attention is focused on whether cost-sharing reduction payments will continue.

Health Care Reform In The Senate's Hands.

Senate GOP hopes to act on health reform before July 4th were dashed. Meanwhile, a leaked rule would offer broad protections for employers objecting to contraceptive coverage.

Making Health Care Truly Affordable after Health Care Reform.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is an essential first step toward making health insurance more affordable for lower and moderate income Americans. It has accomplished historic reductions in the proportion of Americans who are uninsured. The number of Americans reporting delaying medical care for financial reasons has declined by approximately one-third since 2010.

ACA Replacement Battle Moves To Senate.

As the Senate struggles to craft its version of legislation replacing Obamacare, the Trump administration puts its stamp on health care regulation.

House Passes AHCA; HHS Acts On Regulations.

As the GOP worked to pass ACA repeal legislation, HHS finalized a market stabilization rule, and the debate over cost-sharing reduction payments continued.

Navigating A Post-AHCA Landscape.

With the GOP's ACA repeal-and-replace plan dead, at least for now, attention shifts to administrative action and other legislation.

Cross-Currents And Complexities Abound.

The effort to repeal, replace, and repair the ACA faces myriad policy and political challenges.

First Steps Of Repeal, Replace, And Repair.

The United States has never experienced a sea change in national health policy like that which occurred in early 2017.