Republicans question HHS official’s instruction to ‘delete’ internal ObamaCare email

Fox News ^ | August 15, 2014 | Judson Berger

[jazusamo]

A key official overseeing the ObamaCare launch last fall asked a subordinate to “delete” an email exchange on the matter, according to newly released records, fueling Republican concerns that the administration may be hiding internal discussions from Congress.

“Time and again, the self-proclaimed 'most transparent administration' has been anything but,” House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton, R-Mich., said in a statement. “And now we know that when HealthCare.gov was crashing, those in charge were hitting the delete button behind the scenes.”

Upton and other GOP committee leaders on Friday released an email exchange from Oct. 5, 2013, shortly after HealthCare.gov launched to widespread problems. It showed Marilyn Tavenner, administration for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, telling an employee in the public affairs office to “please delete this email.”

CMS spokesman Aaron Albright, though, told FoxNews.com that the email nevertheless was forwarded to staff to be preserved – it evidently was, since committee leaders later obtained it from the Department of Health and Human Services.

“The administrator forwarded this email to a press staffer solely for her awareness. She also copied immediate staff to retain the email, and it was preserved,” Albright said.

[jazusamo]

Deleting emails seems to be standard practice throughout 0bummers administration.

[b4its2late]

Sure looks that way.

[jazusamo]

Message

From: Tavenner, Marilyn (CMS/0A) [/0=HHS EES/OU=FIRST ADMINISTRATIVE

GROUP/CN=RECIPIENTS/CN

Sent: 10/5/2013 6:08:03 PM

To: Bataille, Julie (CMS/OC) [/O=HHS EES/OU=EXCHANGE ADMINISTRATIVE GROUP

(FYDIBOHF23SPDLT)/CN=RECIPIENTS/CN

CC: Khalid, Aryana C. (CMS/0A) [/O=HHS EES/OU=First Administrative Group/cn=Recipients/cn=

Subject: Fw: And I should be perfectly clear

Please delete this email-but please see if we can work on call script.

Original Message

From: Lambrew, Jeanne [mailto: @who.eop.gov]

Sent: Saturday, October 05, 2013 01:55 PM

To: Tavenner, Marilyn (CMS/0A); Jennings, Christopher <C @who.eop.gov ›; Hash, Michael

(HHS/OHR); Palm, Andrea (HHS/I0S); Park, Todd @ostp.eop.gov >

Cc: Khalid, Aryana C. (CMS/0A)

Subject: RE: And I should be perfectly clear

There may be a problem with the CSR training or script: I tried again. I was told that they could take

my information, depending on how complicated my circumstances are and whether they could verification

information, it could take 20-30 minutes. When I pushed and asked: I could I enroll without going to the

website, I was told no, at some point I would have to create an account on HealthCare.gov .

We are regrouping over here on a process recommendation for discussion to ensure that we are all working

off of the same understanding of how things work (like this) and what is going on to prevent confusion,

lots of emails and phone calls.

More later.

Original Message

From: Tavenner, Marilyn (CMS/0A) [m cms.hhs.gov]

Sent: Saturday, October 05, 2013 1:28 PM

To: Jennings, Christopher; Lambrew, Jeanne; Hash, Michael (HHS/OHR); Palm, Andrea (HHS/I0S); Park, Todd

Cc: Khalid, Aryana C. (CMS/0A)

Subject: And I should be perfectly clear

There are three things going on here. Those applications we took in a PDF file the first 3 days. 25,000

approx which for all practical purposes look and act like a paper application. They will have to be

worked by SERCO and we are doing. Paper applications that are now starting to come in will be worked by

SERCO. Website is clear to everyone I believe. It is a matter of the identity proofing and then go all

the way through. So let me explain what happened yesterday. We went to on line assistance with folks.

Which means that instead of a PDF we can now take their info on line-we can take them all the way through

shopping and help them pick a plan. Everyone is doing this but it has been less than one day. We did

about 4000 this way. Should these folks want to have this tool on line themselves-then they would create

an acct/be identity proofed and then their account would be there for them. Hope this answers your

questions and I am available anytime on 804-3

HHS-0134965

[FreeAtlanta]

This message will self destruct....

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Yeah but...aren’t these government pukes EVER going to learn how $h!t works? Delete an email? That’s akin to unringing a bell.

[jazusamo]

Yep, seems these people don’t understand that though.

Little wonder this system cost hundreds of millions and doesn’t work.

[SMARTY]

Duck and cover... that’s the Liberal default mode!

At some point, you’d think they could figure out that it’s so much easier to hire intelligent, honorable people to BEGIN WITH!

[a fool in paradise]

TRANSPARENCY #SMIDGEN

[drypowder]

fueling Republican concerns that the administration may be hiding internal discussions from Congress.

ya think??

[jazusamo]

Please bump the Freepathon or click above to donate or become a monthly donor!

[gov_bean_ counter]

Upton, eh? There should probably be a “rule”.

[yoe]

Emails can be deleted.....but they are still somewhere on the hard drive.....’can run but can’t hide’..........