It has been a rough couple of months for Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius following the botched implementation of Obamacare. And Wednesday was no different, as HHS announced dismal enrollment numbers in the law’s state and federal exchanges hours before she was set to testify before lawmakers on the future of the Affordable Care Act.
Sebelius headed up to Capitol Hill to appear before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on what’s to come following the disastrous rollout of the health care law. The HHS Secretary’s testimony was expected to be more of a success than her previous appearances — with many of the healthcare.gov glitches remedied.
Sebelius’ testimony came not long after she announced HHS Inspector General Dan Levinson would be reviewing the performance of contractors tasked with building healthcare.gov. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services also decided to create a chief risk officer position to improve contractor training and oversight.
The Department of Health and Human Services announced Wednesday that 365,000 people selected health insurance plans through the federal and state exchanges in October and November — a number that suggests the administration faces an uphill battle as they work toward their goal of enrolling 3.3 million by January.
But Sebelius — and many Democrats of the House Energy and Commerce Committee — agreed the Affordable Care Act was veering back on course.
Here are 9 outrageous things said at Sebelius’ hearing.
1. “Madame Secretary, let me tell you, I am absolutely confident that the role you have played in bringing healthcare to millions, tens of millions [of] Americans, will go down in history.”
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.)
2. The latest Obamacare numbers are “impressive”
Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.)
3. Americans who received cancellation notices are “thrilled with the choices that are now available to them.”
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius
4. “They can choose a network where their doctor is available. They can choose a plan where their doctor is not available based on the kind of premium, the kind of deductible…”
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on whether or not Americans can keep their doctor
5. “I don’t know where the 5 million number comes from…”
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on reports that more than 5 million Americans have lost their health insurance because of Obamacare
6. Republicans are “living on Mars and not on Earth.”
Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.)
7. “I misspoke…”
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on when she claimed it was illegal for her to enroll in Obamacare’s exchanges
8. “Some have paid, some have not.”
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on how many people have actually purchased health plans through the marketplace
9. “The reality is, the Affordable Care Act is working … I’m proud of this law.”
Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.)
