The new Aristocracy

[patriot66]

Time for a new revolution?

» Congress Pulls a Fast One; Obamacare Premiums Won't Apply to Them » The Loft -- GOPUSA

Congress Pulls a Fast One; Obamacare Premiums Won't Apply to Them
By Bobby Eberle August 6, 2013 7:13 am


Is it any wonder that the American people are fed up with politics? Barack Obama's approval numbers are terrible, but American's feelings toward Congress are even worse. So, it shouldn't be hard to believe that members of Congress (with the help of Obama) are hard at work to make sure that sky-high Obamacare premiums will NOT apply to them.

As reported in the Wall Street Journal, the annual salary of members of Congress and their higher paid aides put them in a category where they won't qualify for Obamacare subsidies. Thus, the premiums and potential out of pocket expenses for them are about to go up, up, and up. So what are they going to do about it? You guessed it...

The result was a full wig out on Capitol Hill, with Members of both parties fretting about "brain drain" as staff face higher health-care costs. Democrats in particular begged the White House for help, claiming the Reid language (in the Obamacare bill) was merely an unintentional mistake. President Obama told Democrats in a closed-door meeting last week that he would personally moonlight as HR manager and resolve the issue.

And now the White House is suspending the law to create a double standard. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) that runs federal benefits will release regulatory details this week, but leaks to the press suggest that Congress will receive extra payments based on the FEHBP defined-contribution formula, which covers about 75% of the cost of the average insurance plan. For 2013, that's about $4,900 for individuals and $10,000 for families.

As Politico.com writes, "Lawmakers and staff can breathe easy -- their health care tab is not going to soar next year." So, Obama and Congress feel that it's ok for health care prices to soar... as long as it's not happening to them. I see.

The Office of Personnel Management, under heavy pressure from Capitol Hill, will issue a ruling that says the government can continue to make a contribution to the health care premiums of members of Congress and their aides, according to several Hill sources.

A White House official confirmed the deal and said the proposed regulations will be issued next week.

This is so outrageous, even MSNBC thinks it's bad news. Now that's saying something!

Is it possible to just wipe the slate clean and start over? How about getting some people in office that actually want to serve the public rather than serving themselves?
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[B. Kidd]

Our politicians are a major embarassment.

 

[patriot66]

Our politicians are a major embarassment.

yep no matter what party!

 

[rightwinger]

So Congress keeps their existing Healthcare plan

 

[Caroljo]

So Congress keeps their existing Healthcare plan

That doesn't bother you? When they're forcing the rest of us to have something we don't want?

 

[rightwinger]

So Congress keeps their existing Healthcare plan

That doesn't bother you? When they're forcing the rest of us to have something we don't want?

Have you been forced to give up your existing healthcare plan?

 

[patriot66]

So Congress keeps their existing Healthcare plan

That doesn't bother you? When they're forcing the rest of us to have something we don't want?

Have you been forced to give up your existing healthcare plan?

I don't see how that matters, why should they who work for us, force us into something they are not willing to accept, and be a part of, because it is going to be a gigantic mess.

 

[Avatar4321]

Ive been advocating a new revolution for a while. A spiritual revolution fought without firing a shot.

If we are going to change the path society is on, we need to change the path we are individuals and families are on. The problems of society are largely a result of failures of individuals as families.

It's time for us to do the work necessary to make things better.

We have a potential to be the greatest generation of Americans to have lived to this point. We also have the potential to be the last generation of Americans to live. Which would you prefer?

 

[Avatar4321]

That doesn't bother you? When they're forcing the rest of us to have something we don't want?

Have you been forced to give up your existing healthcare plan?

I don't see how that matters, why should they who work for us, force us into something they are not willing to accept, and be a part of, because it is going to be a gigantic mess.

Because apparently being equal with the people is not good anymore. Heaven forbid those who make the laws of this nation be subject to them.

 

[NightFox]

So Congress keeps their existing Healthcare plan

That doesn't bother you? When they're forcing the rest of us to have something we don't want?

Have you been forced to give up your existing healthcare plan?

Ummm... yeah since my company was forced to rework all it's coverage to be in compliance with the ACA and so called "cadillac plans" were dumped because the penalty taxes on them were insane and I'm told next year it's only going to get worse.

Before I had a choice ranging from a higher price comprehensive plans ranging to moderately priced lower (but still uniform) coverage plans, thanks to the ACA the field has been narrowed to a bunch of more expensive plans that are rife with coverage gaps. Way to go Gub'mint.

 

[auditor0007]

So Congress keeps their existing Healthcare plan

That doesn't bother you? When they're forcing the rest of us to have something we don't want?

Individuals who have had private plans can keep those plans even if they do not meet the federal guidelines. I'm not sure how long you have to have had them, but my kids' policies are both grandfathered in, so as long as they keep paying on them, they can keep their current policies. Once the exchange is set up in my state, I can then compare to see if I want to keep them on the old policies or purchase a new one from the exchange.

 

[rightwinger]

That doesn't bother you? When they're forcing the rest of us to have something we don't want?

Have you been forced to give up your existing healthcare plan?

I don't see how that matters, why should they who work for us, force us into something they are not willing to accept, and be a part of, because it is going to be a gigantic mess.

Other than those who currently have no insurance, I don't see where anyone is being forced into anything. I still have my same insurance I always had, as do most Americans

Congress still has FEHB which covers millions of Americans

 

[rightwinger]

That doesn't bother you? When they're forcing the rest of us to have something we don't want?

Have you been forced to give up your existing healthcare plan?

Ummm... yeah since my company was forced to rework all it's coverage to be in compliance with the ACA and so called "cadillac plans" were dumped because the penalty taxes on them were insane and I'm told next year it's only going to get worse.

Before I had a choice ranging from a higher price comprehensive plans ranging to moderately priced lower (but still uniform) coverage plans, thanks to the ACA the field has been narrowed to a bunch of more expensive plans that are rife with coverage gaps. Way to go Gub'mint.

Have you looked at exchanges?

 

[Vox]

If we have a messiah king, then aristocracy is inevitable.

BTW, is Obama and family also exempt from obamacare?

 

[g5000]

Federal employees receive their health insurance through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. They have been for a long time.

The FEHBP premiums are employer-subsidized, just like any other employer-sponsored health insurance is. If you have employer-sponsored health insurance, you are receiving, on average, about a $12,000 tax free subsidy from your employer. It just so happens the employer of Congressional staffers is the American taxpayer. Their wages come from tax dollars, as does their employer's share of their health insurance premiums.

Understand? Tax dollars have been going to them for decades as part of their wages and benefits.

The problem is that there is no provision in ObamaCare for someone who switches from FEHBP to an insurance exchange to receive the same premium subsidy they have been receiving for decades. They only get a subsidy if their income is less than 400 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). And for a lot of them, that is not the case.

So they are not attempting to add some new cost to taxpayers. They are trying to maintain the same thing they have always gotten.


http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/30/us/politics/wrinkle-in-health-law-vexes-lawmakers-aides.html

The Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, the nation’s largest employer-sponsored health insurance program, covers more than eight million people, including government employees and their family members. It offers dozens of competing plans and has been cited as a model by members of both parties.

In battles over the health care law in 2009-10, Republicans proposed a requirement for lawmakers and aides to join the exchanges, and Democrats accepted it.

So Congress is getting booted out of the FEHBP and must buy their insurance through the exchanges.

Bye-bye employer-sponsored (and thus subsidized) health insurance. Hello insurance exchange. That is a substantial jump in cost to each of them.

It would be like your own employer booting you off your company's health insurance and making you buy it from the exchange. If you earn more than 400 FPL, that would be a giant cost increase to you.

 

[g5000]

During the lead up to the passage of ObamaCare, Republicans demanded a proposal that would drive up the health insurance costs for their employees, and the Democrats went along with it.

Now those Congressional employees are about to experience gigantic new costs. They were fucked by their employers.

Oops. Excuse me. I mean they were fucked by their "job creators".

I wonder how the Republicans behind this are feeling about the very real possibility their own staffers are about to bail out on them over this. I wonder how many Democrats they just made out of their staffers.

 

[NightFox]

Have you been forced to give up your existing healthcare plan?

Ummm... yeah since my company was forced to rework all it's coverage to be in compliance with the ACA and so called "cadillac plans" were dumped because the penalty taxes on them were insane and I'm told next year it's only going to get worse.

Before I had a choice ranging from a higher price comprehensive plans ranging to moderately priced lower (but still uniform) coverage plans, thanks to the ACA the field has been narrowed to a bunch of more expensive plans that are rife with coverage gaps. Way to go Gub'mint.

Have you looked at exchanges?

If you're referring to the Exchange in my state, yeah one my co-workers did , more expensive , worse coverage (as of today the rates in my state are not finalized so it's based on proposed rates), not to mention that unless I want to break the law I wouldn't qualify since my employer does include health insurance as part of my compensation. So all I get out of the ACA is a reduction in my compensation, spotty coverage for the things I might need and a bunch of coverage for things I'll never need.

So I could cheat other tax payers (by lying about my employment and income) in 2014 since the employer reporting requirements have been put off until 2015 but that would make me just as dishonest as the thieves that want somebody else to pay for their health care and thus make mirrors a no-no.

 

[g5000]

Ummm... yeah since my company was forced to rework all it's coverage to be in compliance with the ACA and so called "cadillac plans" were dumped because the penalty taxes on them were insane and I'm told next year it's only going to get worse.

Before I had a choice ranging from a higher price comprehensive plans ranging to moderately priced lower (but still uniform) coverage plans, thanks to the ACA the field has been narrowed to a bunch of more expensive plans that are rife with coverage gaps. Way to go Gub'mint.

Have you looked at exchanges?

If you're referring to the Exchange in my state, yeah one my co-workers did , more expensive , worse coverage (as of today the rates in my state are not finalized so it's based on proposed rates), not to mention that unless I want to break the law I wouldn't qualify since my employer does include health insurance as part of my compensation.

You are allowed to buy insurance through the exchange even if your employer offers it. You would not be breaking the law.

In fact, those employers who have over 30 full time employees will be fined for every employee that uses the exchanges. This will supposedly motivate them to provide cheaper insurance than the exchanges, but I doubt it will work out that way.

 

[NightFox]

Have you looked at exchanges?

If you're referring to the Exchange in my state, yeah one my co-workers did , more expensive , worse coverage (as of today the rates in my state are not finalized so it's based on proposed rates), not to mention that unless I want to break the law I wouldn't qualify since my employer does include health insurance as part of my compensation.

You are allowed to buy insurance through the exchange even if your employer offers it.

Not according to what I've been led to believe, I'm not by any means an expert on health insurance (I leave that up to my spouse) but given my income level and what my employer offers I wouldn't qualify and even if I did it would cost me much more out of pocket for something that's not as good, it would also mean that I'd essentially be just giving away part of my compensation. I think my company did a pretty good job of trying to balance everything (their costs and employee costs) but what it ends up being is that it costs both the company and the employees a lot more for less, that also means that since the company is paying more they have less cash to go around for salaries.

Definitely a lose-lose for everyone involved and I suspect I'm not alone in this position.

 

[FA_Q2]

Congress has always felt that it should be exempt from law/ this is nothing new.