2 Responses to “Call every member of Congress, demand to support Senator Vitter in his quest to halt Obamacare exemptions for members of Congress”

1. Sandy Beach
   April 23rd, 2015 @ 4:29 pm

   12/08/2011
   Congress Exempted From Obamacare?
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   Here’s the surprise – come 2014, when the lion’s share of the ACA provisions come on line, Members of Congress and their staff will be required to buy their health insurance on an exchange. In fact, their choices will be even more limited than our own. While it is expected that some 24 million people will elect to purchase their health care policy on a state run exchange, we are not required by law to do so. Members of Congress and their staff, however, must buy their insurance in this way.

   Section 1312 of the Affordable Care Act reads as follows:

   (D) MEMBERS OF CONGRESS IN THE EXCHANGE.-

   (i) REQUIREMENT.-Notwithstanding any other provision of law, after the effective date of this subtitle, the only health plans that the Federal Government may make available to Members of Congress and congressional staff with respect to their service as a Member of Congress or congressional staff shall be health plans that are- [more at the link]
   https://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2011/12/08/congress-exempted-from-obamacare/

   4/25/2013
   Is Congress Really Attempting A Last Minute End Run To Exempt Itself From Obamacare?
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   The worry is that the Affordable Care Act, while requiring the elected officials and their staffs to buy coverage on the exchanges instead of continuing to participate in the health benefits provided to all remaining federal employees, does not make provision for the government paying for a share of the costs incurred. As a result, those affected would be left to pay 100 percent of the costs out-of-pocket—a difficult challenge for staff members earning as little as $25,000 a year.

   Back in days when the negotiations over Obamacare were hot and heavy in the Congress, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) came up with an idea that he believed would surely embarrass the Democrats. He proposed an amendment that would obligate all members of the House and Senate, along with their staffs, to purchase their own health care policies on the exchanges just as they were going to obligate so many Americans to do.
   [more at the link]
   https://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2013/04/25/is-congress-really-attempting-a-last-minute-end-run-to-exempt-itself-from-obamacare/

   Congress Exempt from Health Bill?
   Q: Does the health care bill specifically exempt members of Congress and their staffs from its provisions?
   A: No. This twisted claim is based on misrepresentations of the House and Senate bills, neither of which exempts lawmakers.
   https://www.factcheck.org/2010/01/congress-exempt-from-health-bill/

   Congress and an Exemption from ‘Obamacare’?
   Q: Is it true that there are bills in Congress that would exempt members and their staffs and families from buying into “Obamacare”?
   A: No. Congress members and staffers will be required to buy insurance through the exchanges on Jan. 1.
   https://www.factcheck.org/2013/05/congress-and-an-exemption-from-obamacare/

   Did members of Congress exempt themselves from complying with the health care reform laws?
   https://www.politifact.com/ohio/statements/2013/jan/16/chain-email/did-members-congress-exempt-themselves-complying-h/

   Media falsely claim Obama and staff are “exempt” from health care reform
   White House, Congress, and federal employees are subject to same health care reforms applied to American people
   https://mediamatters.org/research/2010/03/25/media-falsely-claim-obama-and-staff-are-exempt/162248

2. Courage
   April 24th, 2015 @ 4:29 pm

   As the United States Supreme Court weighed new challenges last week to President Obama’s health care law, Congressman Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) is pushing Congress to increase their own transparency under the law. His bill, the Show Your Exemption Act, would require members of Congress to publically disclose their staff’s exemption from Affordable Care Act (ACA) provisions.

   https://wenstrup.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398670

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