“Honestly, it was a surprise that it came this quickly,” said Matt Haller, vice president of the International Franchise Association. “We certainly felt like we were making headway, but we didn’t get any hints until yesterday.”

Interviews with business associations and health-care groups show an administration under huge pressure as a major deadline for President Barack Obama’s signature legislative achievement neared. The business lobbyists mounted a coordinated campaign to convince senior White House officials that their date for requiring coverage was simply impractical. Ultimately, the White House agreed…

“I’ve got to give them credit for reaching out to us and working to understand our concerns, and I think eventually, not because of any special thing we did, they came to the view that this was not going to be ready for prime time,” Trautwein added.

Several trade groups had fly-ins so Washington officials could hear from business owners across the country. The National Restaurant Association, the National Retail Federation, the National Council of Chain Restaurants and Chambers of Commerce were among those that took part, said Stephen Caldeira, president of the International Franchise Association.