Quote:
Originally Posted by Alumiyum
However...can the president just do that?
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The president has, as I understand it, directed the Department of Health and Human Services, which is the executive agency that administers Medicare and Medicaid, to promulgate regulations concerning same-sex couples and visitation issues. Though I haven't looked at the relevant statutes, I have little doubt that Congress has given DHHS fairly broad rule-making authority.
So, the DHHS can do it. And since DHHS is an executive agency under the president and the Secretary of which serves at his pleasure, the president can direct DHHS to do that. Other than the headline-grabbing subject matter of this particular rule, there's really nothing out of the ordinary about it.