Obama Insurance waivers

[SB Shock]

http://www.hhs.gov/ociio/regulations/approved_applications_for_waiver.html

111 given out so far.

[Maggie]

I think most of these exemptions probably deal with the so-called “mini-med” plans.

The sad thing is anyone with more than a passing familiarity with health-insurance markets should be aware of the existence of these plans. Mini-med health plans are essentially the mirror image of “high-deductible” plans. They cover routine care with little or no co-pays, but not major medical expenses. Most people probably don’t know that, it’s true, but it’s simply inexcusable to be a congressman (or a congressional health staffer) responsible for writing this legislation and not realize that prohibiting health plans from setting annual coverage limits will drive mini-med plans out of the market.

The exemptions themselves are good news, since the rule would have forced these companies to drop their employee coverage, leaving millions workers without the insurance they had before Obamacare. But it means that these companies now need permission from the administration to offer their employees a benefit they have offered for years. One of the problems with massive, complicated government regulations is that they create a lot of room for regulator discretion, and therefore a lot of room for unequal treatment of different players in the market. This kind of government by whim, and not by law, is the essence of the regulatory state.

[ISASO]

It is the essence of crap legislation full of unintended consequences, directly a result of passing it to find out what is in it.

Now Paul Klugman of the NY Times confirms that death panels are a key component to the future of our financial solvency. Palin was right, however none of the liars will come out and say that.