Ignited by Senator Max Baucus’ recent comments to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, lawmakers continue to question Sebelius regarding the readiness of the Exchanges and significant rate hikes as pre-existing condition exclusions fall by the wayside. Secretary Sebelius was questioned again on Thursday when she spoke on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle appear to be concerned that HHS will meet its deadlines to open the Affordable Insurance Exchanges, a key aspect of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that serves as a marketplace for individuals and small businesses to shop for affordable health insurance.
Secretary Sebelius’ testimony on Thursday comes in connection with a “quiet” although widely publicized purported effort of some member of Congress to exempt themselves and congressional staff from being required to purchase coverage through the Exchanges. It seems some other Democratic Senators are concerned about political fallout for the Democratic Party if the rollout of the Exchanges is in fact the train wreck that Senator Baucus indicated it could be, or if premiums rise sharply as a result of some of PPACA’s provisions.
Responding to criticisms, Secretary Sebelius acknowledged that funding is tight, and placed the burden on Congress for not giving HHS the additional funding it requested to proceed with implementation of the law.
“The Obama Administration will meet its deadlines and is doing the best it can with what it has,” Sebelius commented in front of the House Appropriations Health and Human Services Subcommittee on Thursday. Sebelius also noted that she does not expect delays in the state Exchanges. Could this indicate the possibility of delays in the federally facilitated or state partnership Exchanges? The answer to that question is unknown, despite repeated assertions that the Exchanges will open in time for annual enrollment in October 2013.
