"The accountable care organization is like a unicorn, a fantastic creature that is vested with mythical powers. But no one has actually seen one."

A mere six pages of Obamacare legislation delegated broad jurisdiction to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish an Accountable Care Organization (ACO) program. The term “Accountable Care Organization” was coined in 2006. And there has been a couple of federal pilot program testing the idea. Yet without a regulation defining and establishing ACOs, most could only speculate on what one is.

But, on April 7, 2011, HHS took their six-page directive from Congress and turned it into a 127-page proposed regulation. We now have a better idea of what an ACO is and is not.

Here is our brief summary. Read more »

Last year Congress passed the 906-page “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act” followed by the 55-page “Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.” Together, they form what is better known as Obamacare.

If you thought that Obamacare was long, it is only a fraction of the length of the regulations. Read more »

Imagine a future Congress passing a law that would prohibit citizens from driving any vehicles except motor scooters. Then imagine that within the law there is a waiver provision to give “flexibility” to individuals who want to use other vehicles. With a waiver from the Department of Transportation, you could drive a convertible, a pickup, a sports car, or even a semi. To get this waiver you would have to apply to the Department of Transportation and six months later they would let you know if your request has been granted. Your waiver would only be good for five years and there would be no guarantee that it would be renewed.

Oh, and one more thing—no waiver would be granted if your vehicle is not at least as fuel efficient as a motor scooter.

How excited would you be that the government was offering “flexibility” through these waivers?

You can imagine, then, the response of some state governors at the White House’s announcement that Obamacare allows states "flexibility" if they want to opt-out of certain of Obamacare’s provisions. Read more »

In order to prevent the destruction of the health insurance agent profession, state insurance commissioners are considering asking Congress to amend to Obamacare and asking HHS for a waiver. Read more »

Last year, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released Cycle I of a grant program designed to force states to follow a federal regulation that requires review of health insurance rate increases deemed by HHS to be unreasonable. Read more »