On November 17, 2016, House Budget Committee Chairman Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) provided some insights on the major changes Republicans plan to make to the Affordable Care Act and Medicare in 2017.  The remarks come on the heels of a meeting between Rep. Price and President-elect Donald Trump that took place on Wednesday, November 16, 2016.  Rep. Price is reportedly being considered for HHS Secretary.

Price explained that Republicans plan to implement changes using the budget reconciliation process, which allows Republicans to sidestep a filibuster and pass bills by a simple majority in the U.S. Senate.  Price’s comments increase the likelihood of a “repeal and delay” strategy where the Republican Congress repeals the Affordable Care Act with a delayed implementation date so that leaders can draft a replacement bill in the meantime.  Other Medicare changes could include tweaks to hospital outpatient reimbursement for departments that were “mid-build” at the time Section 603 of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 was enacted.