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Obama shifts on health law, lets states tailor benefits
NYT: Health care law will let states tailor benefits - politics - The New York Times - msnbc.com
WASHINGTON In a major surprise on the politically charged new health care law, the Obama administration said Friday that it would not define a single uniform set of "essential health benefits" that must be provided by insurers for tens of millions of Americans. Instead, it will allow each state to specify the benefits within broad categories.
The move would allow significant variations in benefits from state to state, much like the current differences in state Medicaid programs and the Childrens Health Insurance Program.
By giving states the discretion to specify essential benefits, the Obama administration sought to deflect one of the most powerful arguments made by Republican critics of President Obamas health care overhaul that it was imposing a rigid, bureaucrat-controlled health system on Americans and threatening the quality of care. Opponents say that the federal government is forcing a one-size-fits-all standard for health insurance and usurping state authority to regulate the industry.
NYT: Health care law will let states tailor benefits - politics - The New York Times - msnbc.com