House Republicans unveil 2017 budget: 7 things for healthcare leaders to know

Ayla Ellison -

House Budget Committee Chairman Tom Price (R-Ga.) unveiled the committee's budget plan for fiscal year 2017 Tuesday, which calls for a full repeal of the Affordable Care Act.

Here are seven of the budget's key proposals related to healthcare.

1. The budget plan achieves $7 trillion in deficit reduction over 10 years through a combination of $6.5 trillion in savings coupled with economic growth.

2. The budget calls for the ACA to be fully repealed. "This budget repeals all of Obamacare in order to protect the American people from its harmful taxes and regulations, its perverse incentives that limit job creation and keep wages low, and the limited access to quality, affordable healthcare created by law," the budget states.

3. The budget would transform Medicare into a "premium support model." Under the model, Medicare recipients could remain in "traditional Medicare" or receive premium support to purchase a private Medicare plan.

4. The plan would reduce Medicare spending by $449 billion over 10 years.

5. Along with repealing Medicaid expansion under the ACA, the budget proposal calls for transforming Medicaid into a block grant program.

6. Under the plan, Medicaid and other healthcare spending would be reduced by $1.03 trillion over 10 years.

7. The Independent Payment Advisory Board — the unelected 15-member agency created under the ACA charged with achieving Medicare savings — is repealed under the proposed budget. The creation of the agency was one of the most controversial provisions of the ACA, and major healthcare groups, including the American Medical Association, have publicly fought for its elimination.

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