Trump: For Every New Healthcare Regulation, Two Must Be Removed

On January 30, President Trump signed a new executive order declaring a “one-in, two-out” rule for healthcare regulations. Under the executive order, for a new healthcare regulation to be implemented two older regulations will have to be eliminated.

“If you have a regulation you want, number one, we’re not going to approve it because it’s already been approved probably in 17 different forms,” Trump said during the signing. “But if we do, the only way you have a chance is we have to knock out two regulations for every new regulation. So if there’s a new regulation, they have to knock out two.”

The order also sets an annual cap on the cost of new regulations and cuts the regulatory budget for fiscal year 2017 to zero. This means the only way to afford new regulations issued between now and September 30, 2017 is by repealing existing regulations.

While each agency will decide which regulations they think can be cut, the White House will ultimately decide which ones to gut. Regulations dealing with national security, foreign affairs, and the organization, management, or personnel of federal agencies are exempt.

This decision applies to all executive departments or agencies, including healthcare.