In This Issue:

- IRS in the ACA Spotlight

- DOJ and FTC Examine Competition

- Implementation of the Affordable Care Act

- Other Federal Regulatory Initiatives

- Congressional Initiatives

- Other Health Care News

- Upcoming Congressional Hearings

- Excerpt from IRS in the ACA Spotlight:

The ACA is in the spotlight as Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia Burwell prepares to appear before two Congressional Committees. Lawmakers will likely seek clarity on how the Administration and the states will react should the Supreme Court rule against ACA subsidies in King v. Burwell to be heard on March 4th. The case centers on the constitutionality of IRS regulations that provide federal subsidies to just over 9 million people, totaling $28.8 billion in tax credits and cost-sharing reductions in 2016, in states that did not establish their own health care exchanges.

In addition, to King v. Burwell, lawmakers will also likely focus on the recent revelation that that approximately800,000 consumers using HealthCare.gov were sent incorrect tax information about their premium subsidies. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT) has already written to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requesting the agencies provide additional details on how taxpayers were sent the incorrect tax information and what the agencies plans to do about the problem.