President
The announcement came during a meeting with the nation’s governors at the
Under the original health reform law, states would be allowed to opt out of the requirements of the federal proposal in 2017 if they implemented their own health reforms. To obtain a waiver, states need to demonstrate that their own reforms meet the goals of the federal law, including extending coverage to as many citizens as would be available through the exchanges in the federal law, lowering overall costs and not adding to the federal deficits.
The change Obama embraced Monday is based on an amendment co-sponsored by Sens.
“”I think that’s a reasonable proposal,”” Obama said. “”It will give you flexibility more quickly while still guaranteeing the American people reform.””
In announcing the move, Obama also tweaked one of his potential Republican rivals for his 2012 re-election campaign, highlighting the health reform law enacted in
“”I agree with
The
The federal law’s individual mandate that all Americans have health insurance is the basis for multiple lawsuits, including one filed by state attorneys general, challenging its constitutionality.
After an electoral drubbing last fall, the president had signaled his willingness to support tweaks to the 2010 law, though he hoped to avoid relitigating the issue.
“”Anything can be improved,”” he said in his State of the Union address in January. “”If you have ideas about how to improve this law by making care better or more affordable, I am eager to work with you.””