HHS No Longer Required to Report Data on Obamacare Waivers, Most of Which Go To Union Supporters
It is a direct assault on the American principle of equality before the law for the federal government to choose winners and losers by giving politically well-connected people a waiver privilege from the law, while others are forced to comply. Not only is it unjust – it is also unconstitutional.
After Friday, HHS will no longer be required to report the data on waivers. Can we expect a new explosion of waivers for well-connected Obama supporters?
Brian Koenig writes a the New American:
Since the passage of the Affordable Care Act, more than 1,200 companies have been accorded waivers from the healthcare reform law, the Health and Human Services Department (HHS) disclosed Friday, the final day that the agency is required to report the data.
“Friday marks the last time HHS will have to update the total number of waivers, putting to rest a recurring political firestorm,” writes Sam Baker of The Hill. “The department had been updating its waiver totals every month, prompting monthly attacks from the GOP.”
Indeed, not only has the number of waivers granted by the department stirred a hailstorm of controversy, but it has also displayed an incontrovertible pattern of crony capitalism, as the law openly leans on the side of labor unions, who just so happen to be strong Democratic supporters who wield tremendous political influence. Ever since the administration strapped a tighter leash on application rules, the unionized sector has remained a prominent beneficiary of ObamaCare waivers.
“Documents released in a classic Friday afternoon news dump show that labor unions representing 543,812 workers received waivers from President Barack Obama’s signature legislation since June 17, 2011,” noted the Daily Caller. “By contrast, private employers with a total of 69,813 employees, many of whom work for small businesses, were granted waivers.”
Naturally, ObamaCare’s most zealous opponents, who range from Republican politicians to industry groups to conservative pundits, have been quick to excoriate the administration’s arbitrary waiver handouts, as these critics expand their allegation that ObamaCare is “unworkable.” In response to a bombardment of politically toxic criticism, the department defended those provisions in the law granting waiver eligibility, saying they display the law’s “flexibility” in adapting to specific cases where a company or other affiliation should be exempt.
All in all, the ObamaCare waivers excuse roughly four million people, or about three percent of the U.S. population, from having to participate in the program, the HHS stated Friday. The 1,231 figure embodies all waiver requests the department has granted so far, including three-year waivers and one-year waivers and/or extensions to companies. Overall, the HHS denied 96 waiver requests.
Read more at the New American
1,231 Companies Receive Waivers From Obamacare
Obamacare waivers weren’t in original law, HHS gave itself waiver powers later
Pelosi, Reid lead the pack in Obamacare Waivers
Wielding Waivers as Weapons
Obama skirts rule of law to reward pals, punish foes
