Election day could be benefits game-changer, expert speculates

Did you vote Nov. 2? I hope so. Doing your civic duty, affecting change nationally and locally, fanning the flames of democracy and getting those cute "I Voted!" stickers aside, some experts believe that this year’s midterm election results could be a game-changer for health care reform.

Now that the Republicans have gained a majority in the House, the long-known opponents to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act could "bar the Department of Health and Human Services from writing the necessary regulations to implement” health care reform, as well as "bar appropriations of the necessary funds,” a health care expert told HR Executive Online.

Henry Aaron, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, told the Web site that one scenario for a GOP-controlled Congress regarding health care reform would be to "block funding for the Internal Revenue Service to collect the information needed to compute subsidies and pay them."

The result would be "zombie' legislation," according to Aaron, telling HRE Online that "administrative agencies will not be able to put it into effect, or to make it function efficiently."

What do you think, pros? Is cutting the purse strings on health care reform a realistic option? If so, is it one you’re in favor of? Share your thoughts in the comments.