Home Sebelius approves hardship exemption for those with healthcare plans canceled
Virginia

Sebelius approves hardship exemption for those with healthcare plans canceled

Chris Graham

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today that some individuals who had their health plans cancelled will be automatically eligible for a hardship exemption that allows them to purchase a catastrophic plan on the health insurance marketplace.

congressIn addition, Secretary Sebelius today announced that the Obama administration has established a dedicated hotline for consumers with canceled plans at 1-866-837-0677:

The news was met with approval by a group of senators including Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., who had raised the issue in a joint letter to Secretary Sebelius on Dec. 19.

“We are pleased that the administration appears to have responded to the concerns we’ve raised,” the group of senators said in a statement Thursday. As a result, this clarifies an option that will help those consumers who have had their plans cancelled this year transition more smoothly into the marketplace. We will closely monitor how the Administration implements this option, and we remain committed to proposing responsible solutions.”

The senators’ letter to Secretary Sebelius is available here. Secretary Sebelius’s response is available here.

Support AFP




Multimedia

 

Chris Graham

Chris Graham

Chris Graham is the founder and editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1994 alum of the University of Virginia, Chris is the author and co-author of seven books, including Poverty of Imagination, a memoir published in 2019. For his commentaries on news, sports and politics, go to his YouTube page, TikTok, BlueSky, or subscribe to Substack or his Street Knowledge podcast. Email Chris at [email protected].

Latest News

waynesboro map
Local

Waynesboro School Board to begin discussion on superintendent search this week

ACC Network
Football

UVA Football: ACC Network to broadcast its pregame show from O Hill on Week 0

UVA Athletics is telling us on Tuesday that ACC Network will broadcast its pregame show, “ACC Huddle,” from Observatory Hill beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 29, ahead of the Week 0 game between Virginia and NC State.

ryan odom uva basketball
Basketball

UVA Basketball: Program formally welcomes eight newcomers for 2026-2027

A group of folks on a message board made a big to-do about Nolan Adekunle, the final piece in the 2026 UVA Basketball transfer class, which, I don’t blame people, not much else to do in the summer for college sports fans.

police court law
Virginia

Report: ODU shooter’s prison term went unreported, led to ‘tragic consequences’

library banned books
Local

Augusta County Library, run by Neanderthals, pre-cancels 2027 Pride Day event

donald trump
U.S. & World

Trump thinks people upset over protection of pedophiles are ‘communists’

staunton
Local

Staunton: City sets ‘Less to the Landfill’ goal to reduce trash by 5 percent