Obama Supports Easing Health Law Mandates for States

WASHINGTON — Seeking to appease disgruntled governors, President Obama announced Monday that he supported amending the 2010 health care law to allow states to opt out of its most burdensome requirements three years earlier than currently permitted.

In remarks to the National Governors Association, Mr. Obama said he backed legislation that would enable states to request federal permission to withdraw from the law’s mandates in 2014 rather than in 2017 as long as they could prove that they could find other ways to cover as many people as the original law would and at the same cost. The earlier date is when many of the act’s central provisions take effect, including requirements that most individuals obtain health insurance and that employers of a certain size offer coverage to workers or pay a penalty.

“I think that’s a reasonable proposal; I support it,” Mr. Obama told the governors, who were gathered in the State Dining Room of the White House.

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House panel votes to repeal 1099 reporting requirement

WASHINGTON—The House Ways and Means Committee on Thursday unanimously approved legislation that would to repeal a health care reform law requirement that employers to furnish 1099 statements whenever they do more than $600 in business with a corporate vendor.
The measure, H.R. 4, now goes to the full House.

A similar proposal passed the Senate this month with strong bipartisan support. By the end of the week, the Senate is expected by supporters to approve the broader bill, S. 223, which authorizes funds for the Federal Aviation Administration.

Small employers in particular have complained that the 1099 reporting requirement that is scheduled to go into effect in 2012 is too great a burden.

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