single waiver was for the united federated of teachers for 351,000 instructors this new york city schools offering supplemental insurance members to the members. mcdonald s and other fast food restaurants, small manufacturering or construction businesses or farm workers are also among 30 employers, insurers and union plans granted up with-year health coverage waivers and adds up to 1 million people. exemption allows the groups to men tain minimal coverage maintain minimal coverage below the new law standards. the waivers are about ensuring the coverage that people have until there are better options available to them in 2014. in a statement, the teacher union president says, we have 13,000 new members because of federal legislation. rather than automatically raising payments to providers have asked for a waiver to see if we have additional costs to make such payments necessary. unions though, are major supporters of the president s push for healthcare reform.