Health Battle Enters Round 2

A new front opened Friday efforts to reshape the federal government implements President Barack Obama's health-care overhaul now the Supreme Court has ruled to keep the law place.

Employers, insurers, hospitals, drug makers and others angling for an advantage as the government writes the regulations and sets the policies that will the law to life.

Hospital owners want the government reduce the $155 billion in health-care payment cuts agreed to during negotiations the law. Makers of medical devices hope to roll a 2.3% tax on their sales contained the measure. Insurance companies want more leeway to charge older people higher rates younger ones. Drug makers are aiming a provision that could squeeze how Medicare pays for medicine.

"Let's face it, this law going to be amended and adjusted for years and to come," said Rick Pollack, executive vice president of the American Hospital Association, lobbying group.

The White House gave lobbyists hope that they can win changes the law after President Obama said Thursday he wanted to improve the overhaul. the legislation Mr. Obama signed in 2010 spells most aspects of the law, federal officials can materially change it depending how they write regulations to implement provision.

instance, though parts of the law such as restrictions how much insurance companies can vary premiums age would have to be changed by Congress, others, as the requirement that large employers offer coverage workers or pay a penalty, could be tweaked by federal regulators.

Congressional Democrats also could team with Republicans to amend specific parts of the law, they did when they repealed a small-business paperwork requirement of the health law 2011.

Some hospital groups said Friday will press Congress to peel a portion of the $155 billion in payment cuts they agreed . The Supreme Court one change to the law, allowing states to opt of expanding Medicaid to a broader swath of the poor without losing existing funding the program. Hospitals say will mean fewer people will be insured through Medicaid, and as a they will absorb higher costs for unpaid medical bills.

"The bargain that struck seems to be out the window," said Bruce Siegel, chief executive of the National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems. said the group will lobby to restore some payments meant ease the burden for hospitals provide a lot of uncompensated care.

Medical-device companies see a new opening to roll back 2.3% tax after 37 House Democrats joined 233 Republicans to repeal it earlier this month.

Retail, hospitality and restaurant companies asked the administration to delay until 2016 enforcement of a requirement larger employers cover full-time workers or pay a penalty, them two more years to comply.

Representatives of Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Aetna Inc. AET -2.71% and Humana Inc. HUM -2.66% said will ask Congress to change a provision that requires insurers to restrict they vary premiums based age.

The fresh burst of lobbying underscores how few are waiting the November elections to see whether the measure remains in place good. Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney this week reiterated he would repeal the law elected. But that would require that Republicans control the House and Senate. Companies and many states say they must press ahead the law regardless of that possibility.


Adapted and abridged from: The Wall Street Journal, June 30, 2012.