Opinion

ObamaCare’s individual mandate basically bites the dust

On Thursday, Team Obama effectively scrapped the individual mandate in the new health-care law — just four days before the deadline for signing up.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that individuals with canceled policies would be allowed to purchase catastrophic health-care packages. Or, if necessary, go without insurance, penalty-free.

This change was in response to a complaint from six Democratic senators — three of whom are up for re-election in 2014 — about canceled polices. So this isn’t about fixing ObamaCare. It’s about relieving the political pain for Democrats.

As one reporter pointed out to the president at his press conference Friday, “You might as well have delayed the mandate [entirely].” No kidding.

Instead, this new exemption follows a postponement of the business mandate, delaying small businesses entering health-care exchanges plus numerous other exceptions — and the bureaucratic strong-arming of insurance companies to stem the impact of the law. According to HHS’ Web site, there are now 13 exemptions to the individual mandate alone.

So what’s left of ObamaCare?

The answer: more spending to cover up mistakes, more government bullying (such as the “suggestion” that private insurers pay for things they’re not required to) and more changes imposed by ­executive fiat.

In other words, Obama is willing to exempt almost everything save for the worst aspects of this very bad law.