May 21, 2011
Waivering Health Care Reform
About his then residence that had undergone extensive renovations, Dave Barry once observed,
When prospective buyers ask: ''What kind of construction is this house?" I answer: "Spackle."
Similarly, health care reform now seems to be comprised largely of waivers. 204 more companies were granted waivers in the last ten days, 20% of them going to companies located in the district of former (ahh!) House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The total number of purportedly temporary (but how easy will it be to grant one year extensions ... year after year after year) waivers issued now tops 1,700.
Just as notable as those issued to companies in CA-8 is the waiver that recently went to everyone's (???) favorite senior advocacy organization. Ed Morrissey at HotAir explains the significance, not to say irony.
No one seems to know what criteria HHS uses to grant or deny waivers to insurers from provisions in ObamaCare. The White House won’t release the names of those insurers and employers refused waivers or discuss denials at all. But maybe, just maybe, we could all agree that organizations that publicly pushed ObamaCare to approval should be ineligible to escape its consequences?
Indeed, why would the AARP be anxious to duck out of a law for which they themselves advocated?
ADDENDUM
Anthony correctly reminds us that entire STATES - Maine, New Hampshire and, most recently, Nevada - have obtained waivers from ObamaCare.
Forty seven more to go!
I wonder if I contact the Honorable Cicillini or Langevin, or maybe ever Reed or Whitehouse to see if I can get a waiver for the 10% federal Excise tax I'm paying to fund Obamacare. Oh, never mind, I already did and their offices sent me nearly identical pre-written answers explaining to me the wonderful benefits of the plan that tanning salon owners have been the only ones funding since July, 2010.
Posted by: michael at May 22, 2011 7:44 AMMichael, without that 10% tax, the whole thing would fall apart ...
Posted by: Monique at May 22, 2011 10:03 PMOh Yeah Waivers. How about this:
"The Health and Human Services Department announced late Friday (5/13/11) that Nevada had secured a statewide waiver from certain implementation requirements of the Obama administration’s health care law, because forcing them through, the department found, “may lead to the destabilization of the individual market.”
Seems like the biggest, phoniest,corrupt supporters like Reid and Pelosi want no part of what they jammed through. Just like a liberal. The ruling class makes rules for the "Little people" while exempting itself and it's cronies from the impact.
Posted by: ANTHONY at May 22, 2011 11:03 PMHeh heh, Michael wrote to his Rhode Island Congressmen and actually expected an answer. That's cute.
I wrote a polite and carefully researched letter to my "representative" Patrick Kennedy once in college and I got a form letter back in the mail 6 months later. I learned early on not to waste my time doing that again.
Posted by: Dan at May 23, 2011 10:12 AMWhat's really cute is I once wrote a letter to John F. Kennedy.
Posted by: michael at May 23, 2011 4:25 PM