GOP lawmakers react to Obama's offer of flexibility for states

President Barack Obama's announcement that he would support giving states some flexibility regarding the health law's mandates received a cool reception from many Republicans.

Politico: Senator Orrin Hatch Calls President Barack Obama's Flexibility Talk 'Bull'
Sen. Orrin Hatch on Tuesday called President Barack Obama's endorsement of the Wyden-Brown amendment to increase state flexibility "bull." "This date-shift gimmick does nothing to change the fundamental problems of Obamacare," the ranking member on the Senate Finance Committee told the Federation of American Hospitals conference. "I went on TV yesterday after Secretary [Kathleen] Sebelius and she was going on about how much flexibility this was going to give the states and how much better it was going to be for everyone. That's bull. States still would have to provide Washington-dictated coverage and waivers fail to give relief on the Medicaid spending mandate" (Nocera, 3/1).

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Obama's Offer On Health Care Gets Chilly State Reception
Georgia leaders say they intend to continue to fight the federal health care law in federal court despite President Barack Obama's pledge this week to give states more flexibility. Obama said he would support giving states a chance to opt out of major requirements of the law in 2014, instead of waiting until 2017 as the law requires. But states that opt out would still have to insure most of their residents without costing the federal government more than current law envisions. Congress would have to approve such a change. Georgia's leadership is still focused on trying to defeat the law in court. A series of federal judges have both supported the law and rejected it. The U.S. Supreme Court may ultimately have to decide if the law stands or not (Teegardin, 3/2).