Colorado official felt pressure from Udall office on Obamacare tally

[alp227]

Source: Denver Post

WASHINGTON — An administrator at Colorado's Division of Insurance felt intimidated by U.S. Sen. Mark Udall's legislative director in November after the aide pushed back against claims that 250,000 Coloradans had policies canceled because of the Affordable Care Act, according to internal e-mails.

The 250,000 number, which garnered national attention and drew a response from President Barack Obama, was openly challenged by Udall at the time. He called it misleading because about 95 percent, or about 237,500, of those "cancellations" included offers to renew current plans.

The tension between the senior senator's staff and state insurance administrators came as Udall — up for re-election this year — scrambled with other Democrats on Capitol Hill to defend a bungled rollout of the new health care law.

In e-mails first published by the conservative blog Complete Colorado and obtained by The Denver Post on Thursday, Jo Donlin, Colorado's Division of Insurance director of external affairs, said in a Nov. 14 e-mail to colleagues: "Sen. Udall says our numbers were wrong. They are not wrong. Cancellation notices affected 249,199 people. They want to trash our numbers. I'm holding strong while we get more details. Many have already done early renewals. Regardless, they received cancellation notices."

Read more: http://www.denverpost.com/politics/ci_24880975/state-official-felt-pressure-from-udall-office-aca

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Politico referenced this story today in Mark Udall on defense over health cancellations

[SoapBox]

1. Skeezy...

That Salazar just won't give up on the 250,000 number...be sure to read the article at the end and see what Anthem had to say.

Looks to me like Pukes grasping at straws as usual.

[merrily]

2. According to the story, both sides of the dispute are saying all they

wanted was an accurate starting point.

[bjobotts]

3. None of these Obamacare horor stories stand up to scrutiny.

Colorado is very satisfied and progressing everyday, loving them some Obamacare.

[gtar100]

4. Damn that Udall for pressuring them for the truth. Pity the Colorado republicans who are having

their First Amendment rights violated by a Senator who won't let their attacks on Obamacare stand on face value.

I commend the Denver Post on its spin to keep republicans feeling safe in their delusions and free from the "intimidation" of those who would question their bullshit.