Republicans dealt a quiet blow to O-care in the CRomnibus. http://t.co/Lbuv0l33z4

— Talking Points Memo (@TPM) December 12, 2014

The CRomnibus, which funds most of the government through the next year, prohibits the Health and Human Services Department from transferring funds from other sources to fund the program. The practical impact, one policy expert told TPM, is that HHS can therefore only use money brought into the program to make payouts, effectively making it revenue neutral.

“As far as anyone can tell, that’s what’s going on,” Timothy Jost, a health law professor at Washington and Lee University who is supportive of the law, told TPM. In theory, if the program doesn’t bring in enough money to make its payouts, that could mean insurers will have to — at the very least — wait a year before getting their money. In turn, that could have a negative impact on 2016 premiums if insurers have to take a loss in the meantime.

Not to worry though, we can be sure that the Senate will stand in the way of this…

Senate on course to pass spending bill: Reid urges quick vote. http://t.co/gtGsALH0sT

— Talking Points Memo (@TPM) December 12, 2014

I give up.