Despite calls from Republican lawmakers for her to step down following the shaky launch of the online health insurance marketplaces, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has no intention of leaving, according to a report in The New York Times.
The online marketplaces established by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act launched Oct.1 and have since been plagued by numerous glitches and have left many consumers frustrated. The GOP has begun to demand accountability — the latest demand being for Sec. Sebelius to leave the post she's held since 2009.
One of the loudest calls for Sec. Sebelius' resignation is coming from Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), who the Times reports is a longtime friend of the Sebelius family. "In the absence of a full repeal of Obamacare, which is my preference, we need new leadership from top to bottom. I am calling on the Secretary to resign," said Sen. Roberts in a statement.
However, Sec. Sebelius has expressed no intention of resigning. Her brother, Donald D. Gilligan, told the Times: "The fact that people are calling for her head does not surprise her or alarm her particularly. People have been calling for her head for a long time, and it's still there. I don’t think that fazes her much."
The Obama Administration has also expressed "full confidence" in Sec. Sebelius, according to the report.
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