I wrote about this emerging issue with Obamacare before, but the number of Obamacare waivers have now doubled. Why? To prevent a lot of people from losing their insurance. From the story:
The Obama Administration has quietly granted even more waivers to one provision of the new federal health reform law, doubling the number in just the last three weeks to a new total of 222. One of the more recognizable business names included on the newly-expanded list of waivers issued by the feds is that of Waffle House, which received a waiver on November 23 for health coverage that covers 3,947 enrollees. Another familiar name was that of Universal Orlando, which runs a variety of very popular resorts in the Orlando, Florida area. Universal was given a waiver for plans that cover 668 workers. These waivers deal with limited health benefit plans, sometimes referred to as “mini-med” policies, which companies as large as McDonald’s use for some its employees. The plan have limits on how much can be paid out in coverage, limits which would be phased out under the new health reform law. The feds though have granted waivers from that law, amid concern that certain groups would drop their health insurance programs entirely.
This is ridiculous. A law is passed, it is barely in effect—with most provisions still years off, and the government has to issue hundreds of waiver—including to about 50 unions—to prevent people from losing their insurance. If it is this bad this early, what will happen when the buzz saw really hits? People will be forced into the individual policy marketplace, and employers will pay small fines—just like the critics said. What a debacle.
