While few legislative attempts to reform the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act have been successful, that's not to suggest lawmakers haven't tried. One of the latest challenges came in the form of a letter, sent directly to the Department of Health and Human Services secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
Nine senators, led by Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, recently penned a letter to the HHS secretary, informing her of the Navigator Program and how it failed to provide consumers with the safeguards they need to maintain their privacy.
Additionally, the senators noted, it could cause highly suspect individuals to receive financial assistance for medical treatment in error.
"The standards proposed by your department could result in a convicted felon receiving federal dollars and gaining access to confidential taxpayer information," the letter stated. "The same standards allow any individual who has registered with the exchange and completed two days of training to facilitate enrollment, as if the decision to purchase health insurance is similar to the decision of registering to vote."
The Navigator Program was an original part of the ACA when it was first passed three years ago. It was intended to provide grants to organizations so that they could help people who are uninsured obtain the coverage they need through state-based exchanges.
"The unreasonably low standard for becoming a navigator not only undermines the state's ability to ensure consumers are protected but raises questions about the appropriate use of federal resources and the protection of highly sensitive consumer information," the senators wrote.
Congressional delegations from several states have made their displeasure known regarding the ACA. One of the major gripes has been over new taxes that could put a greater financial strain on business owners' employee benefit offerings.
