Administration Grants 106 New Waivers, Bringing Total To 1,578

Last Friday Afternoon, The Administration Announced It Had Granted 106 New Waivers From ObamaCare. “The Obama administration granted another 106 waivers last month from part of the health care reform law – the first round of three-year waivers the Health and Human Services Department has approved.” (Sam Baker, “HHS Grants 106 New Health Care Waivers,” The Hill’s “Health Watch,” 8/19/11)

• Total Number Of Waivers Granted:  1,578. (“Annual Limits Policy:  Protecting Consumers, Maintaining Options, And Building A Bridge To 2014,” Centers For Medicare & Medicaid Services, Accessed 8/19/11)  
• Total Number Of Employees Covered By Waivers:  3.3 Million. (“Annual Limits Policy:  Protecting Consumers, Maintaining Options, And Building A Bridge To 2014,” Centers For Medicare & Medicaid Services, Accessed 8/19/11)  
• In The Latest Update Of Waivers, Of The 31 Multi-Employer Plans Granted 3-Year Waivers, 29 Were For Labor Unions.  (“Annual Limits Policy:  Protecting Consumers, Maintaining Options, And Building A Bridge To 2014,” Centers For Medicare & Medicaid Services, Accessed 8/19/11)  

All One Year Waivers Received So Far Will Be Extended Through 2014.  “The department [HHS] announced it would cut off applications after September, but let companies that received one-year exemptions extend their waivers through 2014.”   (Sam Baker, “HHS Grants 106 New Health Care Waivers,” The Hill’s “Health Watch,” 8/19/11)

374 Union Plans Covering 1.61M Employees; Roughly Half Of All Exempt Workers Have Received Waivers. (“Annual Limits Policy:  Protecting Consumers, Maintaining Options, And Building A Bridge To 2014,” Centers For Medicare & Medicaid Services, Accessed 8/19/11)  

Unions Say They Need Relief From ObamaCare So That Employees Can Keep Their Coverage. “Some of its chapters have obtained waivers, the union concedes, but notes the waivers were anticipated by Democrats who passed the law. ‘The waiver process is a key part of healthcare reform because it helps ensure that workers won’t lose their employer-provided health coverage,’ SEIU states on its website.” (Alexander Bolton, “SEIU Fights Healthcare Repeal After Obtaining Waivers From Law,” The Hill, 2/2/11)