Hey, remember those Obamacare waivers the Department of Health and Human Services was passing out like candy? Well they’ve decided to end the program in September:
WASHINGTON — Removing a potential political distraction ahead of next year’s elections, the Obama administration Friday announced an early end to a health care waiver program that has come under fire from congressional Republicans.
Political considerations were “absolutely not” part of the decision, said Steve Larsen, head of a section of the Health and Human Services department that oversees President Barack Obama’s health care law.
Larsen said no new applications for waivers will be considered after Sept. 22. Approvals or renewals received by the deadline will be good through 2013. Starting in 2014, the main coverage provisions of the health care law will take effect, and such waivers will no longer be needed.
Heh, of course this has nothing to do with mounting criticism of the process or the fact that HHS has no statutory authority for granting these waivers.
To be honest I stopped paying attention to the whole Obamacare waiver mess shortly HHS granted a wavier to the entire state of Maine… Anyway, it looks like the White House transparency wizards have finally realized just how damaging the public backlash over these waivers has become and is now in CYA mode… In short: no more disclosures, no more public scrutiny and no more headaches for them.
Related
- House Hearing Reveals the Truth About the Obamacare Waivers – Heritage Foundation
- Obama administration to end monthly healthcare law waiver approvals – The Hill