Employers now have until 2015 to extend healthcare benefits to their employees.

 

The move has been seen as a major concession²（让步） to retailers³ and other businesses.

 

But it puts off the law's aim of giving coverage⁵ to nearly 50 million Americans without health insurance.

 

It also raises questions over whether other elements of the bill will be implemented⁶ on schedule, analysts⁸ say.

 

 

"We have heard concerns about the complexity⁹ of the requirements and the need for more time to implement⁷ them effectively," said Treasury¹⁰ Assistant Secretary Mark Mazur in a blog post.

 

"We have listened to your feedback and we are taking action."

 

Business groups hailed the unexpected decision, saying it would give employers more time to prepare for the changes without having to incur¹¹（引发） penalties. But it could mean that many Americans remain uninsured.

 

The 2010 Affordable¹² Care Act, sometimes known as Obamacare, requires businesses with more than 50 workers to provide health insurance to all their full-time¹³ staff, or pay a series of increasingly severe penalties.

 

From 1 January 2014 companies would have had to pay $2,000 for each uninsured employee, but the measure will now not be introduced until 2015.

 

There is no fine for smaller businesses or for companies with workers who qualify for Medicaid, a government healthcare programme for the poor.

 

It was expected to have the greatest impact on hotel, restaurant and retail⁴ businesses that have many low-paid workers.

 

"We commend the administration's wise move," said National Retail Federation¹⁴ vice-president Neil Trautwein. 

 

Correspondents say that while the change could upset some liberal and labour groups, it may also help Democrats¹⁵ in congressional elections in 2014.

 

Some Republicans said the decision was proof that the whole law should be repealed¹⁶.

 

"The White House seems to slowly be admitting what Americans already know," said Mitch McConnell, the top Republican in the Senate. "Obamacare needs to be repealed and replaced with common-sense reforms that actually lower costs for Americans."

 

But White House adviser¹⁷ Valerie Jarrett wrote: "In our ongoing¹⁸ discussions with businesses we have heard that you need the time to get this right. We are listening."

 

Tuesday's delay to the introduction of the so-called employers' mandate¹⁹ does not affect another part of the healthcare law that requires all individuals to have their own insurance or pay a fine.

 

That provision had faced a legal challenge that eventually came before the Supreme²⁰ Court last year. The justices ruled that the so-called individual mandate was constitutional.

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