With the November elections over, and with them the possibility of the Affordable Care Act’s demise, providers likely are girding for more fights over reimbursement cuts, the debut of health insurance exchanges, and more health coverage for the uninsured.

House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) backpedaled after calling Obamacare “the law of the land” shortly after the election. GOP leaders said they would back off attempts, for now, to repeal the law. As the White House and Congress negotiated a budget deal to avoid the “fiscal cliff” at press time, providers, including the American Health Care Association, urged that Medicare be spared. 

The ACA’s survival also means the continued existence of the Independent Payment Advisory Board, and a renewed push among states to set up their health insurance exchanges.