Posted on 10/25/2013 7:00:51 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
Ten Senate Democrats sent a letter to Health and Human Services secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Friday urging her to extend the ObamaCare enrollment deadline because of the problems plaguing the ObamaCare website.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) initiated the letter. Earlier this week, she emerged as the first Senate Democrat to publicly call for a delay to the healthcare law to accommodate consumers experiencing issues with the website.
“As long as these substantial technology glitches persist, we are losing valuable time to educate and enroll people in insurance plans,” the letter reads in part. “Our constituents are frustrated, and we fear that the longer the website is not functional, opportunities for people to log on, learn about their insurance choices, and enroll will be lost.”
Sens. Mark Begich (D-Alaska), Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Kay Hagan (D-N.C.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Mark Udall (D-Col.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Michael Bennet (D-Col.), and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) also signed the letter.
Begich, Hagan, Landrieu and Pryor are red-state Democrats facing tough reelection bids in 2014. Bennett, Shaheen and Udall hail from purple states and could be vulnerable in a midterm election.
“Given the existing problems with healthcare.gov and other state-run marketplace websites that depend on the federally-administered website, we urge you to consider extending open enrollment beyond the current end date of March 31, 2014,” the letter continues.
“Extending this period will give consumers critical time in which to become familiar with the website and choose a plan that is best for them. Individuals should not be penalized for lack of coverage if they are unable to purchase health insurance due to technical problems.”
The White House has already pushed back the deadline to buy health insurance by six weeks, as Democrats voiced concerns that the botched ObamaCare rollout will hurt their 2014 election bids, and potentially prevent them from taking the House.
ObamaCare requires people to have health insurance by March 31, 2014. To guarantee the coverage, people must begin the process of applying for insurance no later than Feb. 15.
Under the change, people who have signed up for insurance by the end of March will not face a penalty even if they do not actually have the insurance.
Shaheen and the nine other Democrats are urging the White House to push back the March 31 deadline.
Cockroaches running for cover.
Who needs congress anymore when legislation is written, modified and amended on-the-fly by the executive branch?
Don’t they know she doesn’t work for them?
CW as usual all this rigamarole is just that. The problem with the so called “Affordable Health Care Act” is the mandatory coverage. In order to cover all this crap that only a few people need, everyone has to pay. In order for that to happen, insurers have to raise prices and deductibles making unaffordable for everyone! This thing was never about people having insurance. But about taking over a vital part of the economy so they could get their greasy little hands on some money. They thought this would be an easy task. Morons all of them! Meanwhile we ALL suffer! This Rant is now officially over...
If you delay enrollment deadlines you delay enrollment.
I’m not sure that this wouldn’t violate some agreement with the insurers who need the protection of a shorted enrollment period. They need premiums now and only the sickest and poorest will sign up early.
Jay Carney said the other day in a press briefing, the only people who want to delay Obamacare are those who want to eventually defund and repeal it, and those very same people don’t want women with breast cancer to get coverage. So using his logic, Senate and some House Dems want to delay the “law of the land” until January 1 2015, which puts the individual mandate safely after the elections. What are to make of them, I wonder.
Maybe the buffoons should have read it to find out what was in it BEFORE they passed it.
Poor woman probly doesn't know how to open it.
"What do I do again?"
"First you hit the 'power' button."
"Slow down. The what button?"
NO! HELL NO!
I want it implemented on schedule per their stupid law. I want them to have to explain it to their sheep that voted for them.
Hell NO!
Hey a$$wipes, its "settled" law, so there are no changes needed. /sarc
Less than two weeks ago, these same 10 Democrat Senators went on record to vote against a delay.
Speaking of buffoons. I hope someone saved Nancy Pelosi’s comments when asked to delay the penalties for a year. I think her answer was “We can’t do that”. It will make a great commercial for Ted Cruz in 2016.
I think I’m starting to understand something I hadn’t realized. Reid and his senate were uncomfortable about passing legislation that would delay Obamacare but they are not uncomfortable sending 10 senators to ask Obama to tyrannically implement a delay without having to pass covering legislation. They want political cover that the Pubbies didn’t want to give them so now they go quietly to the president, hoping that the blame for this turkey turd will fall squarely on the president.
Perhaps if the Republicans had passed a bill specifically ALLOWING Obama to directly delay legislation IF HE SO CHOSE(the key enabling ego saving phrase), the Senate might have gone along with it. Then Obama might have hemmed and hawed then signed it. Then a few weeks later, he would have made a statement about troubled systems and economical concerns...then ISSUED A COMMAND (via executive order) to delay the legislation.
It’s about EGO and power with this president. Boehner might be wise to present a nonbinding resolution up for vote in SUPPORT of these 10 Senators in seeking a delay. It might get done what the shut down didn’t get done!
Maybe they should switch parties...
All are too stupid to be senators and just proved it.
Yes - and they are.
:)
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