Well, it also changes nearly nothing. The original outline requires checking a person’s given income against the IRS numbers, and if that isn’t right employer and Equifax numbers. If it’s still not right they have to explain what’s going on directly to the IRS. The new deal requires Sibelius and Daniel Levinson (Inspector General of the HHS) to report to congress on the provisions. That’s it. They stuck a summons for Sibelius and Levinson in the bill and called it ‘income verification’.
From the bill (pages 23–24), the first section ( SEC. 1001. (a)) basically says “The director of HHS shall make sure those eligible are actually eligible, in accordance with that law’. Which is, uh, what the law already states. Then it’s just:
“Not later than January 1, 2014, the Secretary shall submit a report to the Congress that details the procedures employed by American Health Benefit Exchanges to verify eligibility for credits and cost-sharing reductions described in subsection (a).”
and
“Not later than July 1, 2014, the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services shall submit to the Congress a report regarding the effectiveness of the procedures and safeguards provided under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act for preventing the submission of inaccurate or fraudulent information by applicants for enrollment in a qualified health plan offered through an American Health Benefit Exchange.”
That’s it.