# Obamacare Waivers **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 15, 2010, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamacare-waivers/560735 "2010-11-15T12:26:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2010, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamacare-waivers/560735/1 "2010-11-15T12:26:37Z")
Can anybody explain what these [111 waivers](http://www.hhs.gov/ociio/regulations/approved_applications_for_waiver.html)are all about? Are the little guys taking it in the shorts while the big connected ones are getting a pass? ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2010, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamacare-waivers/560735/2 "2010-11-15T13:15:06Z")
> [@What\_the](#): > > Are the little guys taking it in the shorts while the big connected ones are getting a pass? Did you read the list you linked to? Big guys like “Captain Elliot’s Party Boats” with 10 insured employees, " Asbestos Workers Local 53 Welfare Fund" with 2 or famed economic powerhouse “Maverick County” with 1? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2010, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamacare-waivers/560735/3 "2010-11-15T14:36:53Z")
> [@What\_the](#): > > Are the little guys taking it in the shorts while the big connected ones are getting a pass? Not in this particular case, apparently, but, as a general rule of life, yes. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2010, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamacare-waivers/560735/4 "2010-11-15T14:41:05Z")
I did find it amusing that at least half of the waiver applicants are insurers, or in related industries. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2010, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamacare-waivers/560735/5 "2010-11-15T14:47:39Z")
> [@What\_the](#): > > Can anybody explain what these [111 waivers](http://www.hhs.gov/ociio/regulations/approved_applications_for_waiver.html)are all about? “Applications for waivers from annual limit requirements are reviewed on a case by case basis by Department officials who look at a series of factors including whether or not a premium increase is large or if a significant number of enrollees would lose access to their current plan because the coverage would not be offered in the absence of a waiver.” That seems to explain what the waivers are all about. It’s from your link. The first sentence. There’s also a link to the regulations with more information. Who wants to bet that Maverick County, with its one waiver, is actually Sarah Palin’s health insurance provider? ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2010, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamacare-waivers/560735/6 "2010-11-15T14:57:20Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I did find it amusing that at least half of the waiver applicants are insurers, or in related industries. By number of employees, almost all of them are. I think there must be some weird technical reason for this, as one would think insurance company employees would have pretty good insurance and so the waiver would be irrelevant to them. > [@Ravenman](#): > > “Applications for waivers from annual limit requirements are reviewed on a case by case basis by Department officials who look at a series of factors including whether or not a premium increase is large or if a significant number of enrollees would lose access to their current plan because the coverage would not be offered in the absence of a waiver.” Just to be clear, the requirement being waved is that employers not offer insurance policies that have a low capped pay-out. The whole thing becomes irrelevant in 2014 in anycase, after which such plans won’t be available to group purchasers.