Democrats demand answers on Obamacare sabotage

Campaign Action

Prior to HHS Secretary Tom Price's ignominious departure from public service Friday, congressional Democrats sent him a demand for answers on recent HHS actions to undermine the upcoming Obamacare open enrollment, including its order to all 10 regional offices to stop participating in state and local enrollment events.

“We urge you to immediately reconsider and reverse this harmful directive to HHS Regional Offices,” the Democratic committee leaders wrote. “The Trump Administration’s latest effort to sabotage health care will likely lead to additional confusion, creating unnecessary barriers for patients and families seeking to purchase insurance.”

The letter—signed by the top Democrats on the committees on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, Finance, Aging, Energy & Commerce, and Ways & Means—lists the many policy changes HHS has made this year that could weaken the Affordable Care Act and discourage people from buying health insurance this November.

Whether Price is there to answer or not, Congress will expect a response. By October 13, Democrats want to know:

1. Why did HHS direct its Regional Offices not to participate in ACA outreach and enrollment events?
2. Did concerns about the budgetary impact of travel have any influence on the directive by HHS to its Regional Offices?
3. When was this decision made at HHS headquarters, and by whom? When was it communicated to Regional Offices?
4. When was it communicated to stakeholder groups and/or state, local and tribal governments?
5. Given that HHS continues to cut outreach and education programs related to the ACA, how does HHS plan to address consumer education and outreach needs through other channels?
6. Is there any precedent for HHS to ban Regional Offices from participation in events related to the programs the Department is statutorily required to administer?

In addition to this query, Democratic leaders of House Oversight Committee have demanded HHS explain its intentions to close down the Healthcare.gov website for 12 hours every Sunday during the open enrollment period, saying the closures would "harm many Americans who are seeking to obtain health insurance to protect themselves and their families."

That's a feature, not a bug of this administration's HHS, no matter who is running it.

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