Why is congress exempt from obamacare?

[Caroljo]

Even tho you say I should support repubs to get rid of it you haven't laid out why. You just say I should because to you it would be rational.

Repubs plan is to toss it first THEN think of a solution. No thanks, that bait and switch wont work unless you have something to present as an alternative

I have no idea what you are saying in that last paragraph, theres adjectives and a verb or two but definitely English-esque.

Maybe you meant to quote someone else..

It's not my fault english is your second language.

Why would you need an alternative to a malignant law? Why not just get rid of the law?

Secondly, the problems that obozocare is supposed to fix, are caused by government interference in the medical industy in the first place. ER's should not have to provide services to people who show up everytime they catch a cold and never pay for the service. They shouldn't have to house every homeless guy who gets brought in unresponsive in an ambulance because he doesn't want to sleep outside that night. Doctors shouldn't get sued for 9 figure settlements by the likes of John Edwards.

In otherwords LIBERALISM fucked up healthcare.

If you tell me to throw out my TV, I'm going to wait until you bring the new one because I'm not stupid. That's why people don't want to get rid of it first for the promise of something later. The only people who fall for that still poop themselves or are in Kindergarten aka Children

Anti anti anti...I know what you DONT like, I'm trying to get you to verbalize what you are in FAVOR for. As much as you dislike Obamacare you cant offer no alternative AND support for no plan.

If my TV is broke so I have to buy a new one, why would I want to keep it around?
If my TV isn't broke, why would I want a new one?

Obamacare is broke....there is no reason to keep it around until something better is put in it's place because it's only going to cost people money they don't have....and possibly lives.

 

[Rinata]

Will one of you obama-loving libs please explain why you condone congress being exempt from obamacare while it is being shoved up our backsides?

Claim: Congress is exempt from the law.

FactCheck.org says: False.

Several versions of this claim have been circulating since before the Affordable Care Act was passed. But no matter how many different ways the critics spin it, Congress isn’t exempt from the law. In fact, members and their staffs face additional requirements that other Americans don’t. Beginning in 2014, they can no longer get insurance through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, as they and other federal employees have done. Instead, they are required to get insurance through the insurance exchanges. capitoldome

This “exempt” nonsense first percolated before that provision was added to the law through a Republican amendment. Before the amendment, the legislation said that Congress — as well as federal employees, employees of large companies, and those who get insurance through Medicare or Medicaid — wouldn’t be eligible for the exchanges, which were created by the law for those buying their own insurance and small businesses. But that certainly didn’t make Congress “exempt” — lawmakers were treated like any other worker with employer-provided health insurance. They were required to have coverage or face a penalty.

The claim has persisted even after the provision requiring Congress to get insurance from the exchanges became part of the final law. Fast forward to spring 2013, and the assertion surfaced again when there was concern among lawmakers that the transition to exchange plans — particularly the transfer of the federal contribution toward premiums — wouldn’t go very smoothly. Politico published a piece on April 24 on lawmakers talking about changing the exchange requirement because of this. The headline on the story: “Lawmakers, aides may get Obamacare exemption.”

On Aug. 7, the Office of Personnel Management, which administers the FEHB Program, issued a proposed rule saying that the federal government could continue to make contributions toward the premiums of lawmakers and their staffs on the exchanges. The federal government has long made such premium contributions, as other employers do for their employees. OPM said the contribution couldn’t be more than what it is under the FEHB Program. That ruling, perhaps predictably, sparked new — and still bogus — claims from Republicans of Congress being “exempt” from the law.

“Congress Exempt from Health Bill?” Jan. 20, 2010

“Congress and an Exemption from ‘Obamacare’?” May 3, 2013

“No ‘Special Subsidy’ for Congress,” Aug. 30, 2013


Obamacare Myths

 

[ScreamingEagle]

But the republican plan already passed. It's called the Affordable Care Act. Have you heard of it?

yeah right......how many Republicans voted for it.....?

ZIPPO...

Doesn't mean it wasn't their idea to begin with. It's the republican plan, embrace it!

Romney tried it at the state level and it failed.....costs soared...

So why do you Dimwits want to embrace it at the national level....?

 

[Cecilie1200]

No one does. So lets start there.

Why do they do it? The same reasons they are allowed to vote themselves pay increases. Because they are full of shit

Now a rational person would expect that since you know that, you would reject obozocare and endorse the republicrat endeavors to get rid of it.

Yet not only have you failed to do that, you reject every critical word uttered against the moonbat messiah and continue to support democrook political whores who stand in the way of repealing this obamanation.

Even tho you say I should support repubs to get rid of it you haven't laid out why. You just say I should because to you it would be rational.

Repubs plan is to toss it first THEN think of a solution. No thanks, that bait and switch wont work unless you have something to present as an alternative

I have no idea what you are saying in that last paragraph, theres adjectives and a verb or two but definitely English-esque.

Maybe you meant to quote someone else..

No, Republicans have offered an alternative plan, but apparently, Democrats' plan is to lie about it so they can justify pushing something off on the American people that their own leaders admit is crap (and if you think that's NOT what they're admitting by exempting themselves, you're delusional).

So perhaps you'd like to tell us why YOU think it's rational to say, "We must have a plan that even our own leaders don't want to live under". And no, lying about it being the only choice available is NOT an excuse.

 

[NYcarbineer]

This is another classic case of the rightwing nuts deciding something is true because they've been told by their sheepherders that it's true,

and now, no matter how much proof to the contrary is provided,

they will forever treat it as fact.

Of course we're dealing with people who think all their wisdom came from a magic apple offered up by a talking snake...

 

[Cecilie1200]

If you tell me to throw out my TV, I'm going to wait until you bring the new one because I'm not stupid. That's why people don't want to get rid of it first for the promise of something later. The only people who fall for that still poop themselves or are in Kindergarten aka Children

Anti anti anti...I know what you DONT like, I'm trying to get you to verbalize what you are in FAVOR for. As much as you dislike Obamacare you cant offer no alternative AND support for no plan.

what you don't understand is that the Demoncraps are going to cancel your cable TV and only let you watch certain channels.....then eventually unplug it altogether and replace it with maybe a one-station radio...

Ok and repubs will......


See the problem you have? You can criticize what we have but if you have no alternative then what we have is pretty good comparably

I love this. "I just read an article about the Republican alternative, and I even commented on it, but now, five minutes later, I'm unaware that an alternative exists." And your excuse for pretending that you didn't JUST read what you did is . . . what? That because they aren't trying to pass it while Obamacare is still in effect to cancel it out means it's not REALLY their alternative? Because you want to pretend that there will be absolutely no healthcare for anyone in the country at all - oh, except for your beloved exempt leaders, that is - unless Obamacare exists?

 

[NYcarbineer]

Now a rational person would expect that since you know that, you would reject obozocare and endorse the republicrat endeavors to get rid of it.

Yet not only have you failed to do that, you reject every critical word uttered against the moonbat messiah and continue to support democrook political whores who stand in the way of repealing this obamanation.

Even tho you say I should support repubs to get rid of it you haven't laid out why. You just say I should because to you it would be rational.

Repubs plan is to toss it first THEN think of a solution. No thanks, that bait and switch wont work unless you have something to present as an alternative

I have no idea what you are saying in that last paragraph, theres adjectives and a verb or two but definitely English-esque.

Maybe you meant to quote someone else..

No, Republicans have offered an alternative plan, but apparently, Democrats' plan is to lie about it so they can justify pushing something off on the American people that their own leaders admit is crap (and if you think that's NOT what they're admitting by exempting themselves, you're delusional).

So perhaps you'd like to tell us why YOU think it's rational to say, "We must have a plan that even our own leaders don't want to live under". And no, lying about it being the only choice available is NOT an excuse.

Can you post the Republican bill?

btw, why would Democrats vote for a Republican healthcare plan, why would the president sign a Republican healthcare plan?

Why shouldn't the Democrats simply follow the GOP model and simply summarily reject anything Republican that is proposed?

 

[Steven_R]

In a just world Democrats would vote for good bills sponsored by Republicans and vice versa because the bill would be the important thing and not the R or D at the end of the sponsor.

Unfortunately we live in the real world where both parties go out of their way to kill and mutilate good bills to score political points.

 

[Pete7469]

Even tho you say I should support repubs to get rid of it you haven't laid out why. You just say I should because to you it would be rational.

Repubs plan is to toss it first THEN think of a solution. No thanks, that bait and switch wont work unless you have something to present as an alternative

I have no idea what you are saying in that last paragraph, theres adjectives and a verb or two but definitely English-esque.

Maybe you meant to quote someone else..

It's not my fault english is your second language.

Why would you need an alternative to a malignant law? Why not just get rid of the law?

Secondly, the problems that obozocare is supposed to fix, are caused by government interference in the medical industy in the first place. ER's should not have to provide services to people who show up everytime they catch a cold and never pay for the service. They shouldn't have to house every homeless guy who gets brought in unresponsive in an ambulance because he doesn't want to sleep outside that night. Doctors shouldn't get sued for 9 figure settlements by the likes of John Edwards.

In otherwords LIBERALISM fucked up healthcare.

If you tell me to throw out my TV, I'm going to wait until you bring the new one because I'm not stupid. That's why people don't want to get rid of it first for the promise of something later. The only people who fall for that still poop themselves or are in Kindergarten aka Children

Anti anti anti...I know what you DONT like, I'm trying to get you to verbalize what you are in FAVOR for. As much as you dislike Obamacare you cant offer no alternative AND support for no plan.

That's not anywhere near accurate.

If I tell you that the your wife is screwing around on you, with people who have AIDS, AND YOU ALREADY KNOW IT'S TRUE, you should be willing to ditch the whore and not wait till you're engaged to a different woman.

I've already articulated that I favor a less regulated healthcare system than we have pre-obozocare. Plenty of other people have advocated policies that would be helpful. That you choose to ignore it is not a reflection of our inability, or obstinace to new ideas. It reflects your willful ignorance.

 

[Cecilie1200]

Their "plan" is the same as it always has been for multiple situations: Get rid of it first then trust us we will have something better. Honest!

Your plan is the same as it always is: see the alternative, cover your eyes, and then lie your ass off about whether you saw anything.

You JUST COMMENTED on the alternative.

You have nothing more to say, because I don't waste time on liars.

 

[ScreamingEagle]

This is another classic case of the rightwing nuts deciding something is true because they've been told by their sheepherders that it's true,

and now, no matter how much proof to the contrary is provided,

they will forever treat it as fact.

Of course we're dealing with people who think all their wisdom came from a magic apple offered up by a talking snake...

and we're dealing with nutters who think all wisdom comes from the lying snake called Barack the Magic Negro....

 

[ClosedCaption]

what you don't understand is that the Demoncraps are going to cancel your cable TV and only let you watch certain channels.....then eventually unplug it altogether and replace it with maybe a one-station radio...

Ok and repubs will......


See the problem you have? You can criticize what we have but if you have no alternative then what we have is pretty good comparably

I love this. "I just read an article about the Republican alternative, and I even commented on it, but now, five minutes later, I'm unaware that an alternative exists." And your excuse for pretending that you didn't JUST read what you did is . . . what? That because they aren't trying to pass it while Obamacare is still in effect to cancel it out means it's not REALLY their alternative? Because you want to pretend that there will be absolutely no healthcare for anyone in the country at all - oh, except for your beloved exempt leaders, that is - unless Obamacare exists?

They presented their alternative but it wasn't popular and / or people aren't dumb enough to go for the kill it first THEN figure it out routine.

Hell Obamacare IS the Republican plan until Obama liked it, then they ran from their own plan. Now they have a new one that they swear they like...foreals this time

 

[Redfish]

screamingeagle can't answer the question honestly.

No, Congress is not exempt.

wrong, they are keeping the same pays-all plan that they had, and we taxpayers are covering the additional cost. They voted a taxpayer funded subsidy for themselves and their staffs.

check it out, snake. you are wrong.

I still have the same plan I've had for the last 5+ years, does that mean I'm exempt too?

Maybe you should learn what being "exempt" even means before you use such big words.

is yours a private plan or is your employer paying part of the cost?

 

[JakeStarkey]

"is yours a private plan or is your employer paying part of the cost?" is not part of the OP.

Ignore it.

No, Congress is not exempt from ACA.

 

[Redfish]

Will one of you obama-loving libs please explain why you condone congress being exempt from obamacare while it is being shoved up our backsides?

Why don't you pose your question like an adult? Why are you trolling in 'politics'?

Obamacare hasn't affected my healthcare coverage at all, as far as I know.

What is it forcing you to do?

It will affect me personally because part of the ACA eliminates funding for medicare advantage. Medicare advantage is a program run by insurance companies and funded by medicare. It costs the govt less than standard medicare and provides better coverage for seniors, it has a premium in most states but its quite small. Now, I will be paying a higher premium and higher co-pays for less coverage. And there are millions like me, most are not as financially sound as I am. I can deal with it, but many cannot.

Obama hates it because the insurance companies can make a profit if they administer it efficiently------and profit is evil in the monarchy of chairman maobama.

 

[Redfish]

"is yours a private plan or is your employer paying part of the cost?" is not part of the OP.

Ignore it.

No, Congress is not exempt from ACA.

They are exempt from it by virtue of not having to pay the higher premiums, we are paying it for them.

so let me restate it---------congress is exempt from the financial impact of obomacare.

splitting hairs, but thats what we do here.

 

[Politico]

Why is congress exempt from obamacare?

You have got to be trolling.

 

[Political Junky]

Right-Wing Media's Latest Zombie Myth: Congress Is "Exempt" From Obamacare | Research | Media Matters for America

Right-Wing Media's Latest Zombie Myth: Congress Is "Exempt" From Obamacare

Florida Watchdog.org, an offshoot of the Koch brothers-funded Watchdog.org, parroted right-wing media claims that Congress is receiving an "exemption" from the Affordable Care Act (ACA) by receiving a "special subsidy" from the government for its health insurance. However, this zombie lie is not based in fact and is due to a Republican effort to politicize the implementation of the law.

 

[Procrustes Stretched]

Will one of you obama-loving libs please explain why you condone congress being exempt from obamacare while it is being shoved up our backsides?

Vitter: "As you have no doubt read, President Obama recently issued a special rule for Congress only." -- Vitter accuses lawmakers of ?lying? about Obamacare exemption | The Daily Caller

The Obamacare fix for lawmakers and staff was made because the Affordable Care Act includes an amendment from a Republican senator that changes how the government currently covers most of the cost of health-care premiums for members and their staffers.*The new law mandates that members and staff must enter into exchanges or be covered by insurance “created” by law.

 

[Procrustes Stretched]

.. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which oversees the health benefits of federal government employees, responded to the ACA's Grassley amendment with a rule clarification. The amendment requires members of Congress and their staffs to enter the exchanges that were otherwise intended for people without access to employer-based coverage. OPM's decision allows the government to contribute to insurance premiums for members of Congress and staffers moved to the ACA exchanges.

In the Health Affairs blog, health care expert Timothy Jost noted that "[f]ar from exempting Congress from ACA requirements, as some have reported, the amendment subjects members to a legal requirement that will apply to no other Americans."

Sunday Shows Push Myth That Congress Is Exempt From Obamacare | Blog | Media Matters for America

---------------

The ObamaCare Exemption for Congress is a myth. It turns out Congress can't shut down Obamacare and reports that members of Congress will be exempt from ObamaCare are without merit. Members of Congress will have to buy their health insurance on the exchanges along with millions of other Americans including low to middle income individuals and employers.

Congress ObamaCare: ObamaCare Exemption for Congress