Gov. Deval Patrick has sent a three-page letter to Washington seeking a waiver from a new set of Obamacare regulations that are expected to drive up insurance premiums for small businesses in Massachusetts. Now, really, Governor — was that so hard?

Patrick, of course, famously proclaimed himself “so done” with the persistent requests that he ask the Obama administration for a waiver from new regulations that will restrict the rating factors that insurance companies use to set premiums.

Massachusetts allows the use of nine rating factors in its merged small business and individual health insurance market; Obamacare will slash that number to four. Massachusetts also allows quarterly premium filings; Obamacare mandates annual filings. Experts say those changes will drive up costs for the majority of small businesses in the commonwealth.

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