The income verification measure in this deal is, I am pleased to say, Trivial

[cthulu2016]

It is also probably not what was on the table 48 hours ago, since the descriptions of it offered then do not match the non-thing that it is now.

All that is in "the deal" Congress will vote on is a provision that the Inspector General do a report, after the fact, to say whether the income verification method already in the ACA law is working as intended.

So what's in the final deal regarding Obamacare is... nothing. No stricter verification, not reinsurance tax relief, not medical device tax relief. Nothing.

(The current verification item is presumably not what was put on the table when Reid and McConnell were first negotiating a deal, last week-end, since that measure was described by sources from both parties as stricter income verification on the front-end—some unspecified procedure or level of review/scrutiny stricter or more exacting than provided for in the ACA. But the details were never published, so by having this non-item in there labeled as income verification fix it offers meager salve to republicans, since the senate deal was supposed to have something labeled income verification fix.)

I posted earlier that I hoped (for a variety or reasons) that stricter income verification would be dropped from the deal, and it appears that it was. So I wanted to update to say that I am pleased as punch.

Hooray for our side.

[mysuzuki2]

1. What I would like to know is who is going to do the verifying?

If documentation of income is to be required, someone will have to examine the documents. Those people will need offices, desks, chairs computers etc. This will add greatly to the costs of administering the program.

[cthulu2016]

2. That was all already in the ACA

So those concerns are already provided for

[uppityperson]

7. More like you shouldn't freak out about something that isn't new. Welcome to Du.

[William769]

9. Thats the squatter from the library.

[uppityperson]

10. Aha, thought it sounded familiar.

Missed the smilies I think.

[William769]

11. They are in the 2nd post.

[uppityperson]

12. Aha. I had her open to check again later, figured wouldn't be here long.

Sign up day tomorrow,will be checking in

[William769]

13. Good you have been missed!

[libdem4life]

3. Got to admit Republicans, you really got us on that one. Given that lying about income would be a

federal offense, I would imagine.

[lamp_shade]

4. Jay Carney, when asked about this "concession" at today's briefing, said something like... not

a concession... there was no ransom; no negotiating... it's an improvement to ACA... both parties agreed to it. End of story.

[Zorra]

5. Yep, thanks. Researched it, and now I am ready to pop the champagne and declare victory.

[pinboy3niner]

8. "To say that it is miniscule is probably giving it too much credit"

--Dana Bash, CNN