Baucus, Sebelius keep focus on implementation, not outreach

When Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), chairman of the powerful Senate Finance Committee, told HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius that he worried Obamacare's implementation was headed for a “train wreck,” she publicly promised to bring him into the loop.

Turns out that Sebelius kept her word and has been giving Baucus one-on-one briefings on the law's implementation every other week since his very public April 17 complaint about a lack of information. (Her staff promised synchronized press briefings implementation and has since declined to provide those.) The White House also has chipped in, sending Chief of Staff Denis McDonough to brief Baucus on the healthcare overhaul's implementation (along with other issues) on alternating weeks from Sebelius' briefings, according to his staff.

So what has Baucus been discussing with Sebelius?

Baucus declined to specify his line of questions to Sebelius and McDonough. He did say that based on the information he has heard in his briefing, he remains concerned about the progress of implementing the vast and complex law but is less worried now about a train wreck. “I know they are working much harder now, and I appreciate that,” he said.

Did Sebelius' fundraising activities related to the law's implementation come up during his latest briefings? Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) charged last week that the HHS secretary's efforts to help Enroll America raise money from healthcare companies for outreach violates federal law. There are now multiple inquiries from congressional Republicans worried that she's promising favors or making threats to get the cash from the healthcare industry.

“We haven't focused on that; we've just focused on implementation, not on resources,” Baucus said in a brief interview.

Follow Rich Daly on Twitter: @MHrdaly