President Barack Obama

President Obama defiantly said he would fight any repeal efforts to his health care reform platform but added in his State of the Union address Tuesday night that he would remain open to ideas for improving it. He also called for more spending cuts to Medicare and Medicaid but didn’t offer any specifics.

Larry Minnix, president and CEO of LeadingAge (formerly AAHSA), said Wednesday he supports the president’s proposal to repeal the Form 1099 reporting provisions in the Affordable Care Act. Minnix also said he was pleased to hear Obama’s support for medical malpractice reform, which Minnix emphasized should include long-term care providers.

Prior to the address Tuesday, American Health Care Association President and CEO Mark Parkinson said that his organization would work with Obama and Congress to ensure “adequate Medicaid and Medicare funding are the twin pillars upon which quality seniors’ care and a strong U.S. jobs and economic base rest.”