As Obama administration officials put into place the first major wave of changes under the health care legislation, they have tried to defuse stiffening resistance -- from companies like McDonald's and some insurers -- by granting dozens of waivers to maintain even minimal coverage far below the new law's standards.

The waivers have been issued in the last several weeks as part of a broader strategic effort to stave off threats by some health insurers to abandon markets, drop out of the business altogether or refuse to sell certain policies.

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