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Health care waivers smack of corruption, say watchdogs.
Enter Stage Right ^ | January 16, 2011 | Jim Kouri

Posted on 01/16/2011 8:20:04 PM PST by danielmryan

A news story that doesn't receive the coverage it deserves is the so-called ObamaCare waivers that will be handed out to "friends" of the President and supporters of his health care power-grab, according to a public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption.

President Barack Obama's healthcare reform law does not specify which companies or labor unions should receive waivers for its requirements and under what circumstances. Critics of how Heath and Human Services Department has chosen to handle these waiver requests highlight the haphazard nature of the approval process and the fact that companies able to secure these coveted Obamacare exemptions are given an unfair competitive advantage over their rivals.

For example in New York City, the powerful United Federation of Teachers was granted a one-year waiver from compliance with the new health care reform law. "Of course, it should be noted that the UFT, a group that represents tens of thousands of teachers and education professionals, was gung-ho over getting Obama elected and ObamaCare passed. Now they want an exemption while the rest of us get soaked," said political strategist Mike Baker.

According to BigGovernment.com's Warner Todd Huston:  "There was no press releases or flowery Obama announcements of these waivers issued to the press. The HHS buried the waiver announcement six layers deep on its web page and posted them when they imagined no one would notice. It's a typical Friday evening document dump so common when an administration wants to avoid the prying eyes of the people. So much for the most transparent administration in history, eh?"

"One thing is sure about these waivers. Obama rewarded his union pals quite well. Some 15 unions and union healthcare or financial fund and insurance providers fill the list of companies and groups that will not have to operate under Obamacare's destructive rules," said Warner.

Huston reported that these organizations were rewarded with waivers, all of whom worked hard to get ObamaCare passed.

Watchdog group Judicial Watch filed a lawsuit against the Obama Department of Health and Human Services to obtain records regarding the agency's decision to grant "waivers" to companies and labor organizations -- such as the Obama-friendly Service Employees Union International (SEIU) and the unions that represent federal employees -- seeking to be exempt from the requirements of Public Health Services Act Section 2711, President Obama's healthcare reform law.

According to HHS's own estimate, at least 222 companies and unions have received waivers from the law, commonly known as Obamacare.

With its Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit, Judicial Watch seeks the following information:

A. All records concerning the decision to grant waivers of the Annual Limits Requirements of PHS Act Section 2711; and

B. All communications between McDonald's Corp. and HHS concerning Annual Limits Requirements.

The time frame for this request is from March 2010 to the present.

Judicial Watch filed its original FOIA request on October 7, 2010. HHS was required by law to respond by November 8, 2010. However, to date, HHS has failed to produce any records or to provide a justification for withholding responsive records. Nor has the agency indicated when a response may be expected.

In September 2010, McDonald's corporation announced it would have to eliminate a health insurance program for nearly 30,000 low wage employees due to an Obamacare requirement that 80 to 85% of all insurance premium revenue be spent on patient care.

Due to the high administrative costs associated with this type of health coverage program (known as a mini-med plan), McDonald's insurer indicated it could not possibly meet the Obamacare requirement. HHS provided McDonald's a one-year waiver concerning the Obamacare mandate and has been deluged with waiver requests from hundreds of other companies and unions since.

The Wall Street Journal deemed the McDonald's waiver request, "one of the clearest indications that new [Obamacare] rules may disrupt workers' health plans as the law ripples through the real world."

"The Obama administration is the most secretive in modern times. The Obamacare waiver fiasco is exactly the type of chaos that ensues when the federal government attempts to seize control of a large sector of the private economy. And Kathleen Sebelius's HHS is willing to violate the Freedom of Information Act to keep Americans in the dark about this Obamacare failure," said Judicial Watch's head Tom Fitton. 

"Secretary Sebelius might want to begin her implementation of Obamacare by obeying federal law regarding public records. The Obama administration's slapdash handling of these waiver requests has created an enormous potential for political favoritism and influence peddling. The Obama administration must make this waivers completely transparent to the American people so they can be assured, in the least, that the process is not infected by corruption," stated Fitton.

Jim Kouri is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police and he's a columnist for The Examiner and New Media Alliance.  In addition, he's a blogger for the Cheyenne, Wyoming Fox News Radio affiliate KGAB. Kouri also serves as political advisor for Emmy and Golden Globe winning actor Michael Moriarty.  He's former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington Heights nicknamed "Crack City" by reporters covering the drug war in the 1980s. In addition, he served as director of public safety at a New Jersey university and director of security for several major organizations.  He's also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and security officers throughout the country.   Kouri writes for many police and security magazines including Chief of Police, Police Times, The Narc Officer and others. He's a news writer and columnist for AmericanDaily.Com, MensNewsDaily.Com, MichNews.Com, and he's syndicated by AXcessNews.Com.   Kouri appears regularly as on-air commentator for over 100 TV and radio news and talk shows including Fox News Channel, Oprah, McLaughlin Report, CNN Headline News, MTV, etc


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption
KEYWORDS: corruption; exemptions; hypocrisy; obamacare
As plain as public-school teachers putting their own kids into private schools. "For thee, but not for me."
1 posted on 01/16/2011 8:20:08 PM PST by danielmryan
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To: danielmryan

If its not good enough for Obama’s friends, why is it good enough for the rest of us?

REPEAL IT!


2 posted on 01/16/2011 8:21:41 PM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: danielmryan

0bama and his merry band of Socialists have their Patronage System in the form of this Health Care Law.

With the stroke of pen he can decide who wins and who loses.

If you are a smart person, and you want to win, then you’d better bring your “support” to the almighty 0bama because otherwise you will be on the outside looking in while your competition will be on the inside with one very big chip in their pocket that you cannot have.

That what this Law was always all about, was the establishment of their Patronage System that will facilitate their hold on power in America with no way for their political opponents to ever stop them.


3 posted on 01/16/2011 8:27:19 PM PST by R0CK3T
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To: danielmryan

Must be some new breed of watchdog. The old ones just laid on the porch and drank the kool-aid.


4 posted on 01/16/2011 8:40:30 PM PST by bigbob
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To: danielmryan

Hopefully when they get to talking about repeal HHS and some waiver recipients will be called to testify.


5 posted on 01/16/2011 8:43:51 PM PST by Mike Darancette (The heresy of heresies was common sense - Orwell)
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To: danielmryan
Newsflash:


6 posted on 01/16/2011 9:02:32 PM PST by garjog
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To: danielmryan
Newsflash:


7 posted on 01/16/2011 9:02:43 PM PST by garjog
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To: danielmryan

What is that about “equal protection”?


8 posted on 01/16/2011 9:10:47 PM PST by maine-iac7
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To: danielmryan
Hang the communists

Every last one of them.

9 posted on 01/16/2011 9:16:04 PM PST by Rome2000 (OBAMA IS A COMMUNIST CRYPTO-MUSLIM)
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To: danielmryan

HHS should issue a blanket waiver. In fact, let’s just roll back the whole thing.


10 posted on 01/16/2011 9:25:22 PM PST by NonValueAdded (Palin 2012: don't retreat, just restock [chg'd to comply w/ The Civility in Discourse Act of 2011])
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To: danielmryan
The Obamacare bill stipulates that 700 different medical decisions are to be made by "the Secretary" of HHS -- NOT YOU OR YOUR DOCTOR. Oh, and don't forget -- "the Secretary" is A POLITICAL APPOINTEE.

CLICK ON THIS TO GET A FULL-SIZE PDF OF IT:




..AND FIND OTHER POSTERS HERE

11 posted on 01/16/2011 9:28:06 PM PST by FreeKeys (We have to eliminate Obamacare in order to find out what was in it.)
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To: danielmryan

Corruption? Ya think?


12 posted on 01/16/2011 9:55:01 PM PST by LTCJ (The Constitution; first, last, always.)
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To: danielmryan

It should be possible to determine the cost paid per waiver tu the hyper-corrupt Obama Regime.

Campaign “contributions,” big fees to democrat party “lobbyists” and other “consultants,” etc.

REPEAL OBAMACARE AND WE ALL GET A WAIVER!


13 posted on 01/16/2011 10:20:06 PM PST by FormerACLUmember (Character is defined by how we treat those who society says have no value.)
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To: danielmryan
A simple question. If Obamacare is so wonderful, why in the world would anyone seek a waiver?
14 posted on 01/16/2011 10:45:10 PM PST by fhayek
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To: danielmryan

This punk sticks it to everybody but his friends: politicians and unions. I consider that really corrupt!


15 posted on 01/17/2011 5:44:28 AM PST by RoadTest (Religion is no substitute for the relationship God wants with you.)
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