Obama Administration will delay ACA employer mandate for at least a year
- Thread starter cawacko
- Start date
It's a matter of Obama pretty much unilaterally deciding that this stupid idea that was part of the Gang of Six compromise is shitty policy so he's not doing it even though its the law. So, like, it's the right thing to do but a, um, questionable way to go about it.
cawacko
Well-known member
This is a portion of the article that just popped up in our local paper. How much of this is political driven vs. actual implementation driven?
The unexpected decision is sure to anger liberals and labor groups, but it could provide cover for Democratic candidates in next year's congressional elections.
While the White House sacrificed timely implementation of a key element of President Barack Obama's health care law, the move also undercuts Republican efforts to make the overhaul and the costs associated with new requirements a major issue in congressional races. Democrats are defending 21 Senate seats to the Republicans' 14, and the GOP had already started to excoriate Senate Democrats who had voted for the health law in 2009.
http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Obama-admin-delays-major-requirement-of-health-law-4643610.php
The unexpected decision is sure to anger liberals and labor groups, but it could provide cover for Democratic candidates in next year's congressional elections.
While the White House sacrificed timely implementation of a key element of President Barack Obama's health care law, the move also undercuts Republican efforts to make the overhaul and the costs associated with new requirements a major issue in congressional races. Democrats are defending 21 Senate seats to the Republicans' 14, and the GOP had already started to excoriate Senate Democrats who had voted for the health law in 2009.
http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Obama-admin-delays-major-requirement-of-health-law-4643610.php
/MSG/
Uwaa OmO
So in effect, nothing happens.
tekkychick
New member
So sounds like Pres. Obama is giving businesses more time. Sure doesn't sound like a socialist to me....
This only affects about 4% of businesses. Everything else is a go.
http://www.treasury.gov/connect/blo...-the-ACA-in-a-Careful-Thoughtful-Manner-.aspx
http://www.treasury.gov/connect/blo...-the-ACA-in-a-Careful-Thoughtful-Manner-.aspx
tekkychick
New member
thanks, Howey; good info!
cawacko
Well-known member
Why does business need more time? In the partisan pissing battle democrats have accused republicans of (attempting to) delay(ing) implication of the ACA. Now Obama wants to delay it? I am far from an expert on this but as one who follows politics I can't imagine he decided to delay a potion of his signature issue out of the goodness of his heart.
tekkychick
New member
No, I imagine for the 4% of the businesses who need the extension (according to Howey) he is doing it to stay on their good side, so he'll have their support - and the support of the chamber of commerce - over the next couple years. And perhaps he has seen more data than we have on why these businesses need the extension.
I'd just as soon they stick to the original schedule, but I'm not in charge of implementing.
blackascoal
The Force is With Me
This hasn't been the only delay and most likely won't be the last.
He's trying to head off a disastrous implementation that will once again spell doom for democrats in the midterms.
This provision is a bad idea that came out of the Senate. In an ideal world Congress would modify it to something more sensible, but Congress isn't going to do that. So Obama is doing an end run under the guide of needing more time.
cawacko
Well-known member
Do you think he'll implement it in a year or keep pushing it off?
Here's a piece from the lefty think tank about why a similar proposal was a bad idea all around:
http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=2921
http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=2921
blackascoal
The Force is With Me
Obamacare Exchanges Delayed to 2015, Obama Now Turns to Mass Marketing
The prognosis isn’t looking too good for the implementation of the labyrinthine Obamacare law.
The Obama administration announced this week that special exchanges designed to “make it easier” for small businesses to provide affordable health care insurance for employees will be delayed again to 2015 in the 33 states where the federal government will be running the exchanges.
As Robert Pear of the New York Times explains, “The law calls for a new insurance marketplace specifically for small businesses, starting next year. But in most states, employers will not be able to get what Congress intended: the option to provide workers with a choice of health plans. They will instead be limited to a single plan.
“The promise of affordable health insurance for small businesses was portrayed as a major advantage of the new health care law, mentioned often by White House officials and Democratic leaders in Congress as they fought opponents of the legislation.”
Since insurance is more expensive for small businesses anyway, it’ll just be cheaper for them to pay the penalty and dump employees into the government exchanges than it would be to pay for the insurance. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office projects the penalties to bring in a total of $13 billion a year in revenue – or only about 30 hours worth of federal spending.
Many other people are finding out they’re losing their plans as well due to Obamacare, from part-time employees to spouses. In fact, the CBO projected this year a total of 7 million people will lose their employment-based coverage, almost double its original estimation. The total number of people participating in those exchanges is projected to grow from 7 million in 2014 – the first year they’ll be available – to 24 million in 2016.
more
http://www.policymic.com/articles/3...yed-to-2015-obama-now-turns-to-mass-marketing
The prognosis isn’t looking too good for the implementation of the labyrinthine Obamacare law.
The Obama administration announced this week that special exchanges designed to “make it easier” for small businesses to provide affordable health care insurance for employees will be delayed again to 2015 in the 33 states where the federal government will be running the exchanges.
As Robert Pear of the New York Times explains, “The law calls for a new insurance marketplace specifically for small businesses, starting next year. But in most states, employers will not be able to get what Congress intended: the option to provide workers with a choice of health plans. They will instead be limited to a single plan.
“The promise of affordable health insurance for small businesses was portrayed as a major advantage of the new health care law, mentioned often by White House officials and Democratic leaders in Congress as they fought opponents of the legislation.”
Since insurance is more expensive for small businesses anyway, it’ll just be cheaper for them to pay the penalty and dump employees into the government exchanges than it would be to pay for the insurance. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office projects the penalties to bring in a total of $13 billion a year in revenue – or only about 30 hours worth of federal spending.
Many other people are finding out they’re losing their plans as well due to Obamacare, from part-time employees to spouses. In fact, the CBO projected this year a total of 7 million people will lose their employment-based coverage, almost double its original estimation. The total number of people participating in those exchanges is projected to grow from 7 million in 2014 – the first year they’ll be available – to 24 million in 2016.
more
http://www.policymic.com/articles/3...yed-to-2015-obama-now-turns-to-mass-marketing
He'll probably push it off until after the mid-terms if he can in the hopes that he'll have a Congress that can pass a modification that is good (or better) policy.
blackascoal
The Force is With Me
Crucial Rule Is Delayed a Year for Obama’s Health Law
WASHINGTON — In a significant setback for President Obama’s signature domestic initiative, the administration on Tuesday abruptly announced a one-year delay, until 2015, in his health care law’s mandate that larger employers provide coverage for their workers or pay penalties. The decision postpones the effective date beyond next year’s midterm elections.
Employer groups welcomed the news of the concession, which followed complaints from businesses and was posted late in the day on the White House and Treasury Web sites while the president was flying home from Africa. Republicans’ gleeful reactions made clear that they would not cease to make repeal of Obamacare a campaign issue for the third straight election cycle.
While the postponement technically does not affect other central provisions of the law — in particular those establishing health insurance marketplaces in the states, known as exchanges, where uninsured Americans can shop for policies — it threatens to throw into disarray the administration’s effort to put those provisions into effect by Jan. 1.
“I am utterly astounded,” said Sara Rosenbaum, a professor of health law and policy at George Washington University and an advocate of the law. “It boggles the mind. This step could significantly reduce the number of uninsured people who will gain coverage in 2014.”
---
The 2010 Affordable Care Act required employers with more than 50 full-time workers to offer them affordable health insurance starting next year or face fines. Some companies with payrolls just above that threshold said they would cut jobs or switch some full-time workers to part-time employment so that they could avoid providing coverage.
Under the provision to set up state-based marketplaces, subsidies are supposed to be available to many lower- and middle-income people who do not have access to coverage from employers or other sources. It may be difficult, however, for officials running the exchanges to know who is entitled to subsidies if employers do not report information on the coverage they provide to workers.
---
Senator John Barrasso, Republican of Wyoming, called the administration action “a cynical political ploy to delay the coming train wreck associated with Obamacare until after the 2014 elections.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/03/u...ealth-law-requirement-until-2015.html?hp&_r=0
They saw the handwriting on the wall and ran.
They've been putting this garbage bill together for three years, and still can't get it right.
WASHINGTON — In a significant setback for President Obama’s signature domestic initiative, the administration on Tuesday abruptly announced a one-year delay, until 2015, in his health care law’s mandate that larger employers provide coverage for their workers or pay penalties. The decision postpones the effective date beyond next year’s midterm elections.
Employer groups welcomed the news of the concession, which followed complaints from businesses and was posted late in the day on the White House and Treasury Web sites while the president was flying home from Africa. Republicans’ gleeful reactions made clear that they would not cease to make repeal of Obamacare a campaign issue for the third straight election cycle.
While the postponement technically does not affect other central provisions of the law — in particular those establishing health insurance marketplaces in the states, known as exchanges, where uninsured Americans can shop for policies — it threatens to throw into disarray the administration’s effort to put those provisions into effect by Jan. 1.
“I am utterly astounded,” said Sara Rosenbaum, a professor of health law and policy at George Washington University and an advocate of the law. “It boggles the mind. This step could significantly reduce the number of uninsured people who will gain coverage in 2014.”
---
The 2010 Affordable Care Act required employers with more than 50 full-time workers to offer them affordable health insurance starting next year or face fines. Some companies with payrolls just above that threshold said they would cut jobs or switch some full-time workers to part-time employment so that they could avoid providing coverage.
Under the provision to set up state-based marketplaces, subsidies are supposed to be available to many lower- and middle-income people who do not have access to coverage from employers or other sources. It may be difficult, however, for officials running the exchanges to know who is entitled to subsidies if employers do not report information on the coverage they provide to workers.
---
Senator John Barrasso, Republican of Wyoming, called the administration action “a cynical political ploy to delay the coming train wreck associated with Obamacare until after the 2014 elections.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/03/u...ealth-law-requirement-until-2015.html?hp&_r=0
They saw the handwriting on the wall and ran.
They've been putting this garbage bill together for three years, and still can't get it right.
Cancel 2016.2
The Almighty
Its a matter of pushing it back past the 2014 elections so that it doesn't fry the Dems.
blackascoal
The Force is With Me
... AGAIN.