6 Ways Healthcare Could Change in 2019 - Managed Healthcare Executive

Michael Strazzella, Federal Government Relations practice group leader, anticipates the Senate and House's battles for or against the ACA next year in Managed Healthcare Executive's article "Midterm Election Results: 6 Ways Healthcare Could Change in 2019"

But Michael Strazzella, co-head, Washington office and group practice leader of federal government relations at the law firm Buchanan, Ingersoll, & Rooney, PC, believes the Senate, having grown its majority, will make efforts to repeal the ACA as it did in the 115th Congress. "Unlike the last Congress, however, I expect them to ensure that pre-existing conditions are protected in order to ensure that the issue can be avoided during the 2020 elections," he says. "The House will hold hearings to highlight pieces of the ACA that they consider to be successful. Moreover, they will attempt to further block executive branch efforts to impede implementation of the ACA."

The article suggests healthcare could change in six ways next year:

• There could be more changes to the ACA.
• The Trump administration will continue to use regulatory agencies in an attempt to transform Medicaid, roll back industry regulations and address drug pricing.
• The Trump administration will continue to embrace value-based care models, including mandatory ones.
• Certain healthcare initiatives that Republicans and Democrats agree on could gain momentum.
• Democrats will gain some power.
• States will continue to become an important battleground for healthcare policy.