It should not go without notice that today marks the fifth anniversary of the enactment of the Affordable Care Act.
Love it or hate it, it is difficult to imagine a single piece of federal legislation in the last 30 years that has dominated the landscape in the way the ACA has. It has been to the Supreme Court three times in its short life, with the outcome of the third visit still in question. It has spawned thousands of pages of complex regulations that affect insurers, employers, and individuals. It has implemented reforms that have already substantially changed both the individual and group markets for health insurance. And we're just getting started.
What will the next five years bring? A wholesale repeal seems unlikely, but can never be totally ruled out. On many of the elements that have already been implemented, a shift from interpretation to enforcement may start to occur. But there will also be countless further pages of interpretive guidance to digest. And one more big piece of the puzzle likely will be snapped into place with the implementation of the "Cadillac" tax in 2018.
Whatever may come, the ACA seems certain to provide a continued source of conversation and complexity that will impact all of us. So raise a glass (or a finger) to acknowledge the moment and look forward (or not) to what may lie ahead. It's sure to be interesting.
