Administration hits back at House GOP plans to investigate health law implementation

The Hill ^ | 1/23/11 | Jason Millman

[markomalley]

The Obama administration hit back at House Republicans’ plans to investigate implementation of the healthcare reform law.

Republicans on the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee on Thursday asked the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide detailed information about groups requesting and receiving one-year waivers for the reform law’s ban on annual coverage limits.

More than 200 groups, unions and businesses have so far received waivers from the requirement. Republicans say the waivers are proof of the reform law’s flaws and are Democratic gifts to union allies who supported the law.

However, HHS Kathleen Sebelius, in a sit-down interview with The Hill on Friday, called both assertions “pretty ludicrous.”

“The provisions in the law always gave some flexibility to me as secretary,” she said.

Sebelius said the waivers were necessary to help individuals keep their health insurance – even if it isn’t the best coverage – until new insurance exchanges opening in 2014 allow individuals and small businesses to pool their purchasing power.

[LibLieSlayer]

Yeah, well Nixon started out by hitting back HARD on Watergate... we know how that ended... FU obama and every demonic putrid puss boil that works for you!!!!!!!

LLS

[jimbo123]

Mr. Sebelius needs to provide transparency as to:

1. Who were granted waivers and why?

2. Who asked for and weren’t granted waivers and why?

[AU72]

Frog march the entire HHS up Captitol Hill.

[blackdog]

Waivers are merely shakedown and favoritism vehicles for the fundraising office within the executive branch. It's a way to "reward your friends and punish your enemies".

Remember that promise from Obama's mouth?

[God luvs America]

TRANSPARENCY IN GOVERNMENT!!

[blackdog]

Actually Sebellius is 100% correct. The bill explains very clearly that it is at the dicretion of the Secretary of HHS. They are valid for one year, subject to renewals each subsequent year. The dog-n-pony show which wanted to march waived firms or groups in front of congress is wrong. Only Sebellius is the one who can explain the ways or considerations in the process of granting waivers.

Let her purjur herself.

[Steely Tom]

“The provisions in the law always gave some flexibility to me as secretary,” she said.

What Congress giveth, Congress can taketh away.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Some animals are more equal...

[cranked]

Message to the Administration: If you had or have nothing to hid, if you did no wrong doing, you have nothing to worry about from these investigations, huh? =.=

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

provisions in the law always gave some flexibility to me as secretary,” she said.

That statement is true; However the details and the "provisions" all favor Democrats and supporters of Democrats whom they bribed to get the Law passed. This is clearly a payoff and an unfair advantage that illustrates the corruption in the Administration. The media will bury this however. We won't see much of it and the Public will have no idea that it is happening.

[ronnie raygun]

The waivers are necessary because they came with an envelope under the table

[Principled]

Yes put sebelius on the stand to explain her rationale.

That will be interesting, to say the least. She definitely does not want to do that - nor does she want to claim executive privilege on the stand. What a grand soundbite that would be.

[ExTexasRedhead]

Did anyone check for the latest donations to Zero’s campaign or donations to the DNC among the list of companies getting waivers?? Or, did anyone look under her desk for donations?

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Sebelius called both assertions “pretty ludicrous.” So she sholdn’t have any trouble providing explanations of the waivers, to whom they were granted, and the justification for the waiver. In the normal course of business, the companies would have had to formally request the waiver, an investigation into the merits of the waiver would be performed, and the waiver granted. All she has to do is release the analyses and conclusions. Shouldn’t take her staff even a day to pull this information together.

That is if such analyses and waivers even exist. More likely, formal procedures were not followed and this is cronyism and patronage, pure and simple.

[nascarnation]

this is cronyism and patronage, pure and simple.

The "Chicago Way"

gone national, sadly

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Unfortunately, national patronage goes back to the election of 1936 when FDR won 98% of the electoral vote and 61% of the “popular” vote. He doled out “federal funds” at an unheard of rate, something no other sitting president had done. He won re-election by being Santa Claus with taxpayer money.

The stories of what his democrat machine did to the country are absolutely disgusting.

[Oldpuppymax]

Good luck getting that ‘detailed information” any time soon!

[Slambat]

“Actually Sebellius is 100% correct.” Good point.
“Let her purjur herself.” Good analogy and she will
if if this investigation gets legs. Now doing the perp walk
will be another story. She’ll lie outright, take the 5th or
refuse to answer on grounds of discretionary authority
like Bernanke did. But being held accountable? I doubt it.

[Nachum]

The list, ping

Let me know if you would like to be on or off the ping list

http://www.nachumlist.com/