"During the handful of semesters I taught college composition, the first assignment always separated the serious from the slackers," writes FierceHealthFinance Editor Ron Shinkman. "Those whose grandparents conveniently passed away the night before it was due became a reliable barometer. As the initial phase of the Affordable Care Act kicked in late last month, there was a fair share of those trying to get out of that first assignment. But since businesses and health plans use lobbyists to do their grandfathering for them, their excuses came in the request of waivers from the Department of Health and Human Services." FierceHealthFinance