Obama’s Waivers for Favors

January 28, 2011 By 9 Comments

The Communications Workers of America, which sent its workers to lobby for Obamacare on Capitol Hill as part of the left-wing billionaire George Soros-funded Health Care for America Now front group, snagged a waiver that will spare a hefty 19,000 of its members from the onerous federal mandate.

And the Service Employees International Union, which poured $60 million into Democratic/Obama coffers in 2008 and millions more into the campaign for the federal health care takeover, added four new affiliates to the waiver list: SEIU Local 2000 Health and Welfare Fund, representing 161 enrollees; SEIU 32BJ North Health Benefit Fund, representing 7,020 enrollees; SEIU Local 300, Civil Service Forum Employees Welfare Fund, representing 2,000 enrollees; and SEIU Health & Welfare Fund, representing 1,620 enrollees.

That’s in addition to three other previous SEIU waiver winners: Local 25 SEIU in Chicago with 31,000 enrollees; Local 1199 SEIU Greater New York Benefit Fund with 4,544 enrollees; and SEIU Local 1 Cleveland Welfare Fund with 520 enrollees.

This brings the total number of Obamacare-promoting SEIU Obamacare refugees to an estimated 45,000 workers represented by seven SEIU locals.

Without the HHS-approved exemptions, these health providers would have been forced to drop low-cost coverage for seasonal, part-time and low-wage workers due to skyrocketing premiums. The only way they are keeping their health care is by successfully begging the feds to spare them from Obamacare.

The Democrats’ law seeks to eliminate the low-cost plans (known as “mini-med” plans) under the guise of controlling insurer spending on executive salaries and marketing. The ultimate goal, as I’ve reported before: forcing a massive shift from private to public insurance designed by government-knows-best bureaucrats.

House and Senate Republicans plan separate investigations of the Obamacare waiver process. Who got one when and why? Who knew whom? Who didn’t? HHS acknowledged Thursday that some 50 sanctuary-seekers had their waiver applications denied, but would not say more. Perhaps the White House storytellers, so eager to profile the “Voices of Health Reform,” can enlighten us.

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  • Jim

    So does it mean that those companies with unions will benefit or just the workers or both?

    They asked for the wavier so they figured both would benefit. However the number of people involved is small compared to the electorate.

    Obama is building up his base so he will benefit. He and his associates will become politically stronger.from it.

    However will the beneficiary companies be less of more likely to export jobs.

    The solution would have been for public financing. In that case there would have been less of a burden on companies. Of course they would have to pay via taxes. But with public financing the Unions would have had one less bargaining chip.

    But what about England? Isn't there health system a mess? The last Englishman I talked to was a socialist who agreed it was. He told me he had to wait in the dic's waiting room for hours with his wife and sick child. Finally he went to the desk and asked if he couldn't be seen sooner. The lady at the desk said yes but you will have to pay more for the fast doctor. He said OK. She said go through that door which he did.
    Another lady at the desk of the fast doctor charged him a couple of bob and a few quid. He was sent in to the fast doctor immediately. Funny he thought. That is the same Doc I was supposed to see when i was in the slow waiting room. Problem solved.

    The solution was kick back. End of story.

  • byronpatel

    I have posted this already here before You guys should stop complaining because, one the health care we have now isnt as good as it was supposed to be. also the law has just been signed so give it some time. so if u want to say u have the right to choose tell that to ur congress men or state official. If you do not have insurance and need one You can find full medical coverage at the lowest price check search online for "Wise Health Insurance" If you have health insurance and do not care about cost just be happy about it and believe me you are not going to loose anything!

    • sflbib

      Give it time? The post office has been around for 220 years. Social Security for over 70, and Medicare for over 40. With the experience of similar programs, how much time does a law need before we can say it was a mistake? Do you want the folks who gave us these failed programs to cut your belly?

    • Nick Shaw

      I don't want to sound like a broken record but, give it time? You mean give it time to entrench all those boards, commissions and advisory panels before we have time to figure out that their only purpose is to make new regulations and rules? I thought the new mantra was "reduce regulations to allow business to prosper unhindered by onerous government intrusion". Sorry Byron, this bill is the mother of all clusterforks of regulation (if we leave aside the EPA, the father).

  • http://www.fx-exchange.com/ Bowmanave

    I'm confussed how all these folks praising the health care reform act as being great for all and they opt out of it. AND, I thought at the time that no one had even read the darn thing (some 2000 pages). As I remember it the Dems were saying we have to pass it to see what's in it!!!!! How can any group or individual say (at the time of passage) that this bill is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Sounds like politicking in action to me.

  • sflbib

    Government provided health care is one giant HMO. The way HMOs work is they get paid in advance; and if you get sick, they treat you. Obviously, the more treatment you need, the more it costs them, so there is a great incentive for them to get you out the door with a minimum of treatment. That's how we get cases like the woman who had swollen glands who got treated with anti-biotics and was later discovered to have cancer — too late to save her, but not too late to save the cost of treating her correctly.

    Then there is the rationing factor. Who gets medical services, the 14-year-old girl who wants an abortion or the 70-year-old man who needs heart surgery? Those with the politically favored need will get what they want, the rest are SOL.

  • StephenD

    I'd like to explore this idea of the President granting waivers for various reasons…on various laws. What else has he granted "waivers" on? What was in it for him (and his)? Don't forget, he is from the old school of politics. You gotta pay the Vig…nobody rides for free. So he grants a waiver. What did he get? What, the question ultimately becomes, did it cost US? Do you think he gave any moral consideration to these waivers; consider the implications of them? Remember, this is the guy that granted "waivers" to 4 nations to continue to receive US Taxpayer money in aid EVEN IF they use Child Soldiers! That's right, there is a law that says you cannot get aid from us if you use children and he GRANTED 4 of them a WAIVER. Why? Because he really cares for children? What a joke. What a phony. What an evil thing to do for personal gain.

  • Nick Shaw

    Doesn't anyone find it odd that a quarter of the waivers were granted to unions yet only 12% of workers in the US belong to unions. It certainly is telling of the government's cozy relationship with public unions but, I didn't have to point that out, did I?

  • Guest

    "Crony Capitalism" was 'invented' in Italy ca 1925 where it became known as Fascism. It amounted to an authoritarian statist regime partnered with a select few privately owned but government/labor-obedient industrialists required to produce the wealth which socialism alone is incapable. It eventually collapsed because the engines of industrial production require discipline, a work ethic and committment to accomplishment not the hostile indolence of grievance-obsessed labor unions sheltered by socialist government.