“If the problems are intense as they are this morning, then maybe we would have to consider a short delay in terms of the individual mandate,” New Jersey Democratic Rep. Bill Pascrell, a member of the Health subcommittee of the Ways and Means Committee, said on Wednesday. “I say, 'maybe.' I have a good feeling that we’re going to overcome these things.”
Pascrell made the comments after attending a briefing led by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services officials Gary Cohen and Julie Bataille on the state of the law’s implementation. Talk of delaying the mandate did not come up during the private meeting, he said.
Democrats are frustrated that HealthCare.gov, the website where Americans in 36 states can access the health insurance exchanges established by the ACA, still does not function properly three weeks after its Oct. 1 launch. Because of glitches on the site, many users are unable to create accounts or sign up for insurance. The current period of enrollment in the federal exchanges lasts until March 31.
But due to the inability to access the plans, Republicans and some Democrats are suggesting that some of the deadlines — including the individual mandate to buy insurance — be extended or delayed.
