Posted on 03/26/2015 11:16:15 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
The Daily Caller reports Senate Democrats sent a letter to the Health and Human Services (HHS) Department asking for a reprieve from ObamaCare for small businesses scheduled to be brought under its regulatory umbrella in 2016. Apparently, the group fears it will be “particularly harmful and disruptive” to businesses.
The Caller reports that the letter was sent March 12 by Democrat Senators Claire McCaskill, Heidi Heitkamp, Chris Coons, Joe Manchin, Joe Donnelly and Jon Tester, and independent Sen. Angus King. They asked for a two-year deferment:
Under the law, employers with 51 to 100 employees will be included in the ACA’s definition of small group market starting in 2016.
Instead of providing stability, we believe expanding the definition will force those historically defined ‘large group plans’ into the ‘small group market,’ where they could experience higher premiums, less flexibility, and new barriers to coverage.
We therefore encourage you to delay the effective date in the definition change for two years so the market can more smoothly transition to the new rules.
McCaskill, Heidkamp, Donnelly, and Tester are up for reelection in 2018. Coons, King, and Manchin face reelection in 2016.
As CNBC reports, in 2014 HHS granted an exemption for small businesses with fewer than 50 employees from having to pay the penalty for failing to provide health insurance to employees. The penalties for business would be $2,000 to $3,000 per employee.
The Wall Street Journal reports that on the fourth anniversary of the bill’s passage, HHS gave waivers to individuals who would be hit with a penalty if they didn’t buy the government mandated health insurance:
(The) Administration quietly excused millions of people from the requirement to purchase health insurance or else pay a tax penalty.
This is on top of the other big waiver the year before, which the Journal reports was another way to put off pain from the law:
In 2013, HHS decided that ObamaCare’s wave of policy terminations qualified as a “hardship” that entitled people to a special type of coverage designed for people under age 30 or a mandate exemption.
HHS originally defined and reserved hardship exemptions for the truly down and out such as battered women, the evicted and bankrupts.
The Washington Post reports that more than 1,200 companies got an HHS waiver to for the first year. As the Daily Caller reported at the time, nearly 20% of the companies were found in then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Congressional District.
Congress declared itself a small business in order to buy insurance policies and allow its staffers to receive ObamaCare subsidies.
According to The Washington Times, a judge ruled last month that it was legal for Congress to exempt itself from regular ObamaCare exchanges:
The administration issued regulations in 2013 that designated the D.C. small business exchange, or “SHOP,” as the go-to exchange for congressional lawmakers and staff who wanted to retain a federal employer subsidy that covers about three-quarters of their premiums.
The Hill reports that President Obama has encouraged lawmakers to stop trying to repeal the law and “embrace reality.”
Oh, its the law of the land.
Enforce it.
Enforce the hell out of it.
Until everyone screams.
Well no Sh!t, Sherlock. Conservatives have been shouting that from the rooftops since before this abomination was passed.
Of course, if the change took effect in 2017, post-election, the Democrats wouldn’t be saying a peep.
But they all voted for it!! Next time, read before you vote!
“particularly harmful and disruptive” to businesses.”
No s%$t Sherlock!
Who knew!
EAT IT YOU NANCIES!
Democrats Ask for Another ObamaCare Reprieve, Warning It Is ‘Harmful and Disruptive’ to Businesses
Democrats Ask for Another ObamaCare Reprieve, Warning It Is ‘Harmful and Disruptive’ to DEMOCRATS’ chances of getting elected or re-elected.
These democraps are so stupid. Don’t they know that Obama can’t just change the law. Only Congress can. //sarc off//
Learn it, love it, live it!
Cruz 2016
Harmful and disruptive to their re-election.
Stand up and make them live by the law.
I said it before. A clean bill needs to be sent to Obama's desk: No One is Exempt. Period.
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