"I think we are moving to a period of uncertainty [related to the Affordable Care Act] ...

... for several reasons. One is we have had [roughly] eight years of pretty clearly knowing what the president's and administration's positions have been. With a new administration we won't know for sure. And we are also moving into a period of pretty major regulatory changes. The first five to six years of the ACA has been a push for coverage expansion, but we are about to move into the first of all of these waiver provisions [Section 1332 of the ACA for state innovation waivers]. And that has very big implications if you have a Republican or Democrat in the White House. And even if under a Democrat, it may allow for innovative state waivers to have more control for states. And if a Republican, there will be a lot of leeway clearly."

— Anne Phelps, a principal and U.S. health care regulatory leader for Deloitte, told AIS's Health Plan Week.