GAO Details White House Soliciting for Obamacare Nonprofit

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius contacted the top executives at five health-related organizations, some of which her department regulates, asking for financial or other assistance to promote insurance enrollment under the Affordable Care Act, according to a new federal report, The New York Times writes.

Ms. Sebelius, who is leaving office, sought financial support for pro-Obamacare nonprofit Enroll America from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and tax-preparation firm H&R Block, according to the Government Accountability Office review issued Sunday. She also requested “nonfinancial support, such as technical assistance” from Ascension Health, Johnson & Johnson, and Kaiser, firms that fall under her agency’s regulatory purview.

The GAO report was requested by Republican lawmakers who say the fundraising was aimed at circumventing limits imposed by Congress on spending to promote the health-care law. Administration officials maintain that the health secretary is legally allowed to encourage support for nonprofits that advance public health. The report does not give a legal opinion on the propriety of the solicitations.