Health law implementation: McDonnell wants better answers to exchange questions; GAO says some kids may miss out on coverage

Also in the news, the Boston Globe examines the possible impact of the Supreme Court's health law decision on state-federal relations.

CQ Healthbeat:  McDonnell Miffed At Tavenner Reply To GOP Governors "Thirty Questions" Letter
Republican Governors Association Chairman Bob McDonnell went over the head of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Acting Administrator Marilyn Tavenner Monday to complain about her reply to his July 10 letter, which posed 30 questions about building exchanges and expanding Medicaid under the health law. … In her letter, dated July 13, Tavenner said states face no deadline for deciding whether to expand Medicaid. She added that states can get extra money for Medicaid IT costs and to build exchanges -; even if they ultimately decide not to build an exchange.  She also said guidance would be issued, but did not answer such questions as when states would learn the operational details of a federal exchange, what charges they would incur for federal data provided to state exchanges, when rules will be released on multistate plans offered in exchanges, and a number of other questions (Reichard, 7/23).

Modern Healthcare: Coverage Push Could Miss Some Kids: GAO
The 2010 federal healthcare overhaul could extend health insurance coverage to about 5.3 million uncovered children but leave 1.7 million uncovered, according to the Government Accountability Office. The projections, which were released Monday by the nonpartisan investigative arm of Congress, were based on 2009 data and requested by senior Senate Democrats (Daly, 7/23).

Boston Globe: What Does The Supreme Court's Health Care Decision Mean For Federal-State Relations?
In the weeks since the Supreme Court issued a decision on the Affordable Care Act, some local health law experts have taken a longer look at the implications. And they're concerned about just how far-reaching the decision could be. … The Medicaid decision may have big ramifications, Wendy Parmet, associate dean for academic affairs at Northeastern University School of Law, said during a panel discussion last week. "It raises enormous questions about the future of state and federal relations," said Parmet, who filed briefs in support of the law on behalf of several Massachusetts organizations (Conaboy, 7/23).