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Lawsuits, Exemptions, and Exceptions Are Not Health Care Reform Continued …

May 16, 2011 — The Prescription Pad   

The Obama Administration once again admitted the Democrats’ health care law is unworkable, announcing that it has granted more than 1,300 waivers from various portions of the law.  Health plans insuring over 3 million Americans have already been granted special exemptions, even though the most onerous provisions of the law do not begin until 2014.  Ironically, the Health and Human Services’ website describes the waivers as “Helping Americans Keep the Coverage They Have,” an admission by the Obama Administration that the only sure way for Americans to keep what they have and like is to waive the law.
 
Organizations from the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation, the Pew Charitable Trust, The Girl Scouts (of Nassau County), Aetna, Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, to the Aspen Ski Company and Captain Elliot’s Party Boats have sought and received permission to ignore various mandates imposed by the Democrats’ health care law.  Over 330 union plans have also received special exemptions.
 
In addition, the Obama Administration granted waivers to the states of Maine, New Hampshire and Nevada from the Medical Loss ratio (MLR) requirements.  Thirty states (in red below) are either seeking a waiver, have received a waiver or are suing the federal government to get out from under the budget-busting and job-crushing mandates in the law.  Lawsuits, exemptions, and exceptions are not health care reform.  When 30 states are taking steps to prevent the implementation of the Democrats’ health care law in their state, that is a pretty strong indicator that the health care law is not working and that we need to repeal it, start over, and craft workable solutions that will actually increase affordability and access – for all Americans.

States granted waivers:  Maine, New Hampshire and Nevada

States (including one territory) seeking a waiver to exempt their residents from certain portions of the Democrats’ health care law:  Kentucky, Florida, Georgia, North Dakota, Iowa, Louisiana, Guam, Kansas

States suing:  Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming

 

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SUBCOMMITTEE: Health    SUBCOMMITTEE: Full Committee