Off to a good start

I have a copy of a letter dated April 19 in which HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius asks employers and insurance companies to ignore what the new health care reform law actually says, as regards extended dependent coverage.

Specifically, she asks employers and insurance companies to "maintain coverage for young adults who could be dis-enrolled in May". In effect, Sebelius is saying ignore the law and cover the dependents now, because . . . well, because I’m asking you.

She is doing this because the new health care reform law does not mandate extended dependent coverage until the first policy period that begins after September 22, 2010.

I see this is even more proof – as if more proof were needed - that the Congress never read this monstrosity they created. And if a few of them did read it? Even they clearly did not understand it. Because if they understood it, they would have provided for dependent coverage continuity in the law, avoiding the coverage gap created by the law as written, passed, signed by the President - and now recognized as worthy of being ignored, by none other than the Fair Kathleen.

One assumes the rest of the law is still to be obeyed. Until further notice.