US – Obama apologises over insurance fiasco

US President Barack Obama apologised recently to Americans who are losing their healthcare insurance policies, saying that he regrets the unclear nature of the reforms of his landmark healthcare restructuring. 

Obama’s expression of regret was aimed at citizens whose insurance plans are being canceled in spite of his oft-repeated pledge that if people liked their health plans, they would be able to keep them under the 2010 Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. 

“We weren’t as clear as we needed to be, in terms of the changes that were taking place,” Obama said in an interview, according to Reuters. 

“I am sorry that they are finding themselves in this situation, based on assurances they got from me,” he added. 

The White House has been trying to control the damage from the botched launch of a plan aimed at making sure that the millions without insurance could get medical coverage. 

The website designed to shop for insurance and see whether applicants qualify for subsidies, has malfunctioned since its launch. 

Anger has intensified as many Americans discover they stand to lose policies that they assumed would be grandfathered under Obamacare. Insurance companies have been dropping policies purchased or changed since passage of the law if they do not meet its minimum standards.