House subcommittee approves GOP-backed measure to repeal CLASS Act

The panel gave voice vote approval to the bill on Tuesday.

Modern Healthcare: Subcommittee Votes To Repeal CLASS Act
Members of the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee on Tuesday voted to approve legislation that would repeal the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act included in the healthcare reform law. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act tasked HHS with developing a benefit plan for CLASS, a voluntary long-term-care insurance program, that was financially sustainable and also met the legal requirements of the statute. Last month, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that the agency had not identified a way to make the program work, and it was suspended (Zigmond, 11/15).

CQ HealthBeat: Panel Backs GOP Effort To Ensure Repeal Of Long-Term Care Plan
Panel Democrats indicated Tuesday that they would offer a number of amendments to block repeal at the full committee markup, which has not yet been scheduled. ... [They] blasted the GOP for attempting to repeal the program without offering an alternative (Attias, 11/15).