House panel gives nod to CLASS Act repeal legislation

The House Ways and Means Committee approved legislation that would eliminate the health law's Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act. Though the Obama administration stopped the program's implementation last year, many Republicans still want to remove it from the books.  

Modern Healthcare: House Panel Votes To Repeal CLASS Act
House Republicans moved closer to eliminating a program in the healthcare reform law when the House Ways and Means Committee approved legislation to repeal the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act. Members of the powerful panel that makes tax law-;and which has jurisdiction over the Medicare program-;voted 23 to 13 to support the Fiscal Responsibility and Retirement Security Act of 2011, a bill from Rep. Dr. Charles Boustany (R-La.) that would repeal the CLASS Act, the voluntary, long-term care insurance program that HHS suspended last fall (Zigmond, 1/18).

CQ HealthBeat: Panel Moves To Repeal Suspended Long-Term Care Program
A House panel endorsed legislation Wednesday to repeal a suspended long-term care program included in the 2010 health care law, paving the way for likely House floor consideration next month. The bill, approved 23-13 by the Ways and Means Committee, would repeal the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) program. Wisconsin Democrat Ron Kind joined a united GOP caucus in support of the measure. In November the Energy and Commerce panel, which also has jurisdiction over the bill, advanced an amended version of the legislation, 33-17, with support from three Democrats (Attias, 1/18).