House ACA Repeal Vote Gets Muted Response from Healthcare Lobbyists

The major healthcare sector lobbying groups that played a role in crafting and helping pass the landmark healthcare reform law last year offered a muted response to Wednesday's Republican-led effort to repeal the law in the House.

The House repeal, which passed 245-189 on a largely partisan vote, is seen as a symbolic gesture from Republicans who made repealing the law a centerpiece of November 2010 elections that brought them into the majority. However, Democrats still control the Senate and they won't consider the bill; President Obama has vowed to veto any repeal bill that hits his desk.

In fact, by midday Thursday, the repeal vote was all but forgotten and House Republicans moved on to pass a resolution 253-175 – again largely on partisan lines – ordering four committees to create alternatives to the Accountable Care Act.

So, with little to gain by issuing public opinions on the divisive and controversial vote, and with lawmakers still considering major changes to the existing healthcare legislation, healthcare lobbyists said little, if anything, and prepared for the next battle.

The American Hospital Association, for example, declined to comment on the repeal vote.

American Medical Association President Cecil B. Wilson offered perhaps the firmest defense of the law when he said in a statement: "The AMA does not support repeal of the Affordable Care Act because it includes expanded health coverage, insurance market reforms and initiatives to promote wellness, which are in line with AMA policy objectives."

By Thursday, the AMA was back on the Hill, lobbying for tort reform, which is expected to get a more sympathetic hearing now that Republicans control the House Judiciary Committee.

Robert Zirkelbach, spokesman for America's Health Insurance Plans, didn't pick a side on the vote when he said: "We continue to believe that changes are needed to the health care reform law in order to minimize coverage disruptions and cost increases for families and employers."

Instead, Zirkelbach reiterated AHIP's ongoing concerns about the Affordable Care Act. "While the new law will bring more people into the system, major provisions will raise costs and disrupt the coverage people have today, including: new taxes on small businesses health insurance; age rating restrictions that will cause premiums to skyrocket for younger workers; and massive Medicare Advantage cuts that will result in higher premiums, reduced benefits, and fewer choices for seniors." Zirkelbach said AHIP would "continue to work with members of Congress from both parties to address these issues." 

Wes Metheny, senior vice president of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) didn't even mention the vote in a lengthy press release.

"A core principle that continues to guide our advocacy efforts is that all Americans should have access to high-quality and affordable health care coverage, services and treatments – a notion that has historically enjoyed broad bipartisan support. Additionally, we believe it is critically important that public policies foster future medical discovery and innovation and promote U.S.-based biopharmaceutical jobs," Metheny said.