In This Issue:

Leading the News; Implementation of the Affordable Care Act; Other HHS and Federal Regulatory Initiatives; Other Congressional and State Initiatives; Other Health Care News; and Hearings and Mark-Ups Scheduled.

Excerpt from Leading the News -

Glitches Continue in Week Three of Open Enrollment, Repairs Promised:

With the government shutdown over, attention in Congress shifted back to healthcare.gov and the glitches which have continued into week three of open enrollment. Members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee grilled contractors who have worked on the website in a marathon four and a half hour long hearing which was frequently acrimonious and contentious. Former Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Jeff Zients, who was tapped by President Obama to lead the team to repair the website, promised that the website will be operating smoothly by the end of November. HHS Secretary Sebelius described in a blog post the steps that are being taken as part of HHS’ “tech surge” to fix healthcare.gov. In addition, the Administration consulted with CEOs of several health insurance companies and two insurance industry lobbying groups to discuss open enrollment and the ongoing implementation of the ACA.