The HR Journey

Before the August recess, HR 3200, America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 (AAHCA) was passed by various powerful committees in the House of Representatives and Senate:

• Education and Labor
• Ways and Means
• Energy and Commerce

A bill similar to HR 3200 was passed by the Senate’s HELP Committee (Health, Education, Labor and Pensions) and yet another version was being reviewed by the Senate Finance Committee when they adjourned for the August recess.

You’d think from media reports that the AAHCA is on the verge of becoming law. As a result, emotions are running high. It would serve us well to calm down and realize much remains to be done before any version of the AAHCA is passed and becomes law.

I spent time reading the AAHCA to understand what it contains and how it might impact my clients, my firm, and my career. The AAHCA is divided into three (3) parts:

• Division A: Affordable Health Care Choices, pages 4-214;
• Division B: Medicare/Medicaid Improvements, pages 215-855; and
• Division C: Public Health & Workforce Development, pages 856-1,018

I focused my attention on Division A. This does not mean Divisions B and C are not important. To the contrary, I’ve looked through those parts of the AAHCA, and I’m very interested in how Medicare will evolve.

The attached article includes my observations and questions on Division A. The opinions I’ve expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of Findley Davies, its shareholders, or its clients. After reading this article, I encourage you to use the link to HR 3200 to examine it and draw your own conclusions about its intent, consequences and chances for success.