(Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Friday defended his administration's decision to delay for some people the requirement to buy medical insurance under his healthcare law, but acknowledged that the botched roll out of the policy was his biggest mistake of 2013.
"Since I'm in charge, obviously we screwed it up," Obama said at his year-end news conference.
"Since I'm in charge, obviously we screwed it up," Obama said at his year-end news conference.
Officials said late on Thursday that people whose insurance plans were canceled because of new standards under the law may claim a "hardship exemption" to the requirement that all Americans must have coverage by March 31, or face a penalty.
The sudden change was announced four days before the federal government's deadline to sign up for coverage that starts on January 1 under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which was passed in 2010 and set up online exchanges, or marketplaces, for enrollment.
