They are!
the "mini med" programs, ones that offer basic coverage but not for serious illness, it is these programs that have annual limits that are under the current threshold, $750,000. As such, they are not in compliance with the law at this date. So, what do you do when you're not in compliance? You have to get into compliance. To be able to offer the program with higher limits, at or above the minimum 750k, there are only two ways to do it: raise premiums or restrict costs (read: access). Both of these methods are specifically forbidden by the rules. So, the employer is stuck. The answer is a waiver.
These waivers are for annual limits only, and last for only one year.
In the meantime, the intent is to give the employers that aren't in compliance time to make the transition to plans that ARE in compliance. It would be like.. hm... I drive a little VW Golf. If I needed to carry a much higher load than what it was designed for, I'd either have to increase the power or make more trips with smaller loads (raise power/premium or reduce load/access). My little car wasn't designed for such a purpose. But if I had some time to get my shit together to carry such a load, I could do so, but in the meantime, I'd want a waiver.
The analogy isn't perfect I know. But the plans that got waivers weren't designed in the first place as comprehensive health care plans. They're ok for what they are, but you can't make a Mack truck out of a Matchbox, y'know?
eta:
Here's the link to the facts about the waivers.
http://www.hhs.gov/ociio/regulations...or_waiver.html
also, I'm takin a poke at mercy for excerpting and bolding the part about "oooo Obama's supporters are getting special treatment". It's bogus, and I'm calling him on it.