Republicans highlight health reform transparency bill

Separately, a group associated with Karl Rove sued the department on Wednesday, demanding access to records about the waivers.

The administration, however, says it has been forthcoming with Republican requests. Spokesman Richard Sorian said the department has given the Energy and Commerce Committee 25 boxes of documents for its hearing on the issue; the department has also published regulations and three guidance documents about the waivers, as well as a regularly updated list of approved waivers.

“All this information has not only been made available to Congress but has also been in the public realm for many months,” Sorian told The Hill. “We’re being as forthcoming as possible.”

Sorian added that the healthcare reform office’s move to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in mid-January had created some “transitional issues” that have slowed down the transmission of public records requests, but that that situation is being resolved.