In This Issue:

Implementation of the Affordable Care Act; Other HHS and Federal Regulatory Initiatives; Other Congressional and State Initiatives; Other Health Care News; and Hearings and Mark-Ups Scheduled.

Excerpt from Implementation of the Affordable Care Act -

On February 19th Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that Iowa, Michigan, New Hampshire, and West Virginia had applied to run partnership exchanges. Upon conditional approval of these states’ exchanges, the number of states running their own exchange or a partnership with the federal government could increase to 25, including the District of Columbia. Under the current schedule, people will be able to shop for health plans within the exchange starting in October 2013, with the health plans scheduled to begin in January of 2014.