In This Issue:

Implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA); Other HHS and Federal Regulatory Initiatives; Other Congressional and State Initiatives; Other Health Care News; and Hearings & Mark-ups Scheduled.

Excerpt from Implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) -

On August 31st the IRS released guidance to help employers determine whether employees count as full-time employees for purposes of the ACA’s employer shared responsibility provisions.

On August 31st the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) sent a letter to Maine Governor Paul LePage stating that it would need more time to consider Maine’s proposed cuts in eligibility for its Medicaid program. Maine had previously requested that it be allowed to cut eligibility in its Medicaid program, in spite of ACA “maintenance of effort” rules prohibiting states from scaling back eligibility. Maine has argued that the Supreme Court’s June decision making the Medicaid expansion optional for states also makes the maintenance of effort provisions optional.