Radiologists Offer Their Predictions on Federal Healthcare Law Under Trump

The new Republican administration is determined to dismantle the Affordable Care Act by 2018. Yet, for the moment, the future of health insurance in the U.S. is murky as GOP lawmakers try to devise a functional alternative. In the latest issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology, three radiologists with public policy backgrounds weigh in with their thoughts on what the Trump administration means for the ACA and its corresponding agencies and programs

Andrew Rosenkrantz, MD, MPA of New York University, Joshua Hirsch, MD, of Harvard and Gregory Nicola, MD, Vice President of Hackensack Radiology Group in New Jersey and chair of the American College of Radiology economics committee believe that the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) and the Independent Payment Advisor Board (IPAB) are at risk to be eliminated.

“Congressional Republicans have previously lobbied unsuccessfully to reduce the scope, authority and funding of CMMI,” they write. “Nonetheless, with heightened power, Republicans are positioned to, and likely will, more effectively reduce the agency’s power.”

The 15 unelected officials that make up the IPAB can cut Medicare spending, but are prohibited from slicing Medicare benefits. Although the IPAB is already a controversial facet of the ACA, the board has remained dormant since health care costs have been stagnant as of late. Regardless, the authors believe that the IPAB is also set to be eradicated, claiming ““heavily criticized the greater degree of control over healthcare spending being afforded to this single agency headquartered in the executive branch, introducing unsuccessful bills to bring about its appeal.”