Few options for Obama to fix cancellations problem

[EC]

This cropped up on my feed with the following tweet:

The Associated Press ‏@AP 9m

Obama wants to help people losing insurance, but legal and practical obstacles loom: http://apne.ws/1aKDxhO  -KM

Startling for the fact that he seems to be losing AP.

Via AP: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/few-options-obama-fix-cancellations-mess

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama says he'll do everything he can to help people coping with health insurance cancellations, but legally and practically his options appear limited.

That means the latest political problem engulfing Obama's health care overhaul may not be resolved quickly, cleanly or completely.

White House deputy spokesman Josh Earnest said Friday that the president has asked his team to look at administrative fixes to help people whose plans are being canceled as a result of new federal coverage rules. Obama, in an NBC interview Thursday, said "I am sorry" to people who are losing coverage and had relied on his assurances that if they liked their plan, they could keep it.

The focus appears to be on easing the impact for a specific group: people whose policies have been canceled and who don't qualify for tax credits to offset higher premiums. The administration has not settled on a particular fix and it's possible the final decision would apply to a broader group.

Still, a president can't just pick up the phone and order the Treasury to cut checks for people suffering from insurance premium sticker shock. Spending would have to be authorized by law.

Another obstacle: Most of the discontinued policies appear to have been issued after the law was enacted, according to insurers and independent experts. Legally, that means they would have never been eligible for cancellation protections offered by the statute. Its grandfather clause applies only to policies that were in effect when the law passed in 2010.

More than five weeks after open-enrollment season started for uninsured Americans, Obama's signature domestic policy achievement is still struggling. Persistent website problems appear to have kept most interested customers from signing up. Repairs are underway. Friday the administration said the website's income verification component will be offline for maintenance until Tuesday morning. An enrollment report expected next week is likely to reflect only paltry sign-ups.

Website woes have been eclipsed by the uproar over cancellation notices sent to millions of people who have individual plans that don't measure up to the benefits package and level of financial protection required by the law.

"It was clear from the beginning that there were going to be some winners and losers," said Timothy Jost, a law professor at Washington and Lee University in Virginia, who supports the health overhaul. "But the losers are calling reporters, and the winners can't get on the website.

More at link.

I can't recall the last time AP was so scathing - and I have been getting their news feed for years.

[EC]

I know the tweet doesn't seem that bad. Yet I work with both the Oxford Manual of Style and the AP Manual of Style. It is rather bad, as it is readable both ways. That is deliberate.

[rangerrebew]

Good morning!  My question for Obama would be does he want to do everything he can to help people the same way he's doing everything he can to "bring the Benghazi terrorists to justice?"  First he lied about people being able to keep their policies if they wanted but now we're expected to believe he is going to help people when there is virtually nothing he can do to help?  This is more lies and B.S. from the B.S.er in chief.  As for the AP, it started getting a little testier toward the B.S.er in chief when  the federalies targeted one of their reporters.  I hope what will happen is people will start to see more honesty from the AP and start viewing them more than the other Obama support network thereby forcing the others to be more honest.  Maybe, just maybe.

[EC]

Morning, ranger!

It looks, from here, like he is losing his media shield - that has got to be a good thing.

[rangerrebew]

Morning, ranger!

It looks, from here, like he is losing his media shield - that has got to be a good thing.

It does appear that way but my fear is they will start to tout madam Clinton as riding in on her white steed (with reinforced back and legs to carry the weight) to save the nation.  That is every bit as bad as Obama.