Obama Personally Negotiated Obamacare Exemption for Congress

This stinks. The stench can be smelled across the country! They should have to do exactly what the rest of the country has to do. Especially 'pass Obamacare and then find out what's in it later' PELOSI.

Members, staff will keep health-care subsidies under Obamacare

Last week, when President Barack Obama came to the Hill to meet with Senate Democrats, he informed them that he would personally get involved to sort out the confusion, and the White House said that OPM would issue guidelines this week.

The guidelines, released Wednesday, allow for members and staff to retain their subsidies from the government, an exception in exchange for giving up “premium tax credits” that they would otherwise be eligible for under Obamacare.

“The amount of the employer contribution toward their Exchange premiums is no more than would otherwise be made toward coverage under the [Federal Employee Health Benefits] Program,” the OPM release notes]

reply to post by FlyersFan

The guidelines, released Wednesday, allow for members and staff to retain their subsidies from the government, an exception in exchange for giving up “premium tax credits” that they would otherwise be eligible for under Obamacare.

“The amount of the employer contribution toward their Exchange premiums is no more than would otherwise be made toward coverage under the [Federal Employee Health Benefits] Program,” the OPM release notes.

“These proposed regulations implement the administrative aspects of switching Members of Congress and congressional staff to their new insurance plans — the same plans available to millions of Americans through the new Exchanges,” said Jon Foley, OPM Director of Planning and Policy, in a statement.

Does anyone know what this means?

Are they exempt from Obamacare or not?

reply to post by gladtobehere


You really want concrete statements and laws, defining what is and what is not???

Come on now. This comes from the same people that rallied behind the idea that in order to find out what is in a bill, you must pass said bill.

It is written this way for a reason.

So what's good for the people isn't good for the ones who write the laws? Really??

Is this goddamn # ing ANIMAL FARM?

"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others".

We'll see how long these pigs will remain walking upright when this nonsense decimates the populace.

Originally posted by gladtobehere
Are they exempt from Obamacare or not?

If I'm reading all this correctly .. yes they are exempt.

Originally posted by supremecommander
So what's good for the people isn't good for the ones who write the laws? Really??

Yep. That about sums it up. Disgusting. Isn't it??

Good for THEE, But NOT for ME!

Time to bring the Oligarchy to its knees!

Let's give them all some Catherine the Great treatment!

I'm sick and tired of some people being a little more equal than others.

reply to post by gladtobehere

Are they exempt from Obamacare or not?

No, they are not "exempt", congress and their staffers are still required to purchase health insurance through the state exchanges that will be set up.

The only thing this did was that it allowed the federal government to continue to make contributions (which it has always done) to their health insurance premiums. Congress and their staffers used to get their insurance through the Federal Benefits Program, so the Federal government making contributions to their health insurance was no problem because it is basically the Feds paying the Feds. But now, the ACA requires congress and their staffers to get their insurance from the exchanges, and there was no mechanism for the Federal government to contribute money in the purchasing of insurance through the exchanges. Normally, when you buy through the state exchanges, you get tax credits...all this ruling did was take away these tax credits for congress and staffers and replaces it with the contributions they would have normally received from the government.

So no, this isn't an exemption. In fact, congress and their staffers are REQUIRED to participate in the state exchanges to purchase their health insurance. The only thing this does is amend some rules that allows the government to make the same contributions to health insurance that they have been doing forever. If they didn't allow this, it would effectively be a fairly sizable pay cut for all congressmen and their staffers...no big deal for the congressmen, but it would have been for the staffers.

I'm going to say it a third time in case people didn't get it yet, this is not an exemption. The people who say it is are either ignorant of what is going on or they are partisan hacks that listen to too much Fox News/Limbaugh/Beck.

Must be nice to be a congressman now why doesn't Obama exempt the rest of America from it.

It makes congressman healthcare more expensive what do they they it is going to do to people who aren't millionaires?

What a crook that entire lot.

They they wrote it, they campaigned on it, they went to their Town Halls. and told us little people how wonderfully awesome it was, Obama signed into law. and now they get out of it.

Time after time the laws in this country are only for us little people.

What a corrupt group of 'people' on Capitol Hill.

Yes We Can !

Screw you over !

JEBUS H. CHRIST! There is not exemption for Congress or staffers!!!!!

news.yahoo.com...


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congress has won some partial relief for lawmakers and their staffs from the "Obamacare" health reforms that it passed and subjected itself to three years ago.
In a ruling issued on Wednesday, U.S. lawmakers and their staffs will continue to receive a federal contribution toward the health insurance that they must purchase through soon-to-open exchanges created by President Barack Obama's signature healthcare law.
The decision by the Office of Personnel Management, with Obama's blessing, will prevent the largely unintended loss of healthcare benefits for 535 members of the Senate and House of Representatives and thousands of Capitol Hill staff.

Lawmakers and staff still must purchase plans on the exchanges for coverage that starts in January, OPM said, and they will not be eligible for tax credits to offset premium payments.

ATS: Home to people without critical reading skills and prone to over reaction... especially when it comes to politics.

Originally posted by neo96
Must be nice to be a congressman now why doesn't Obama exempt the rest of America from it.

It makes congressman healthcare more expensive what do they they it is going to do to people who aren't millionaires?

What a crook that entire lot.

They they wrote it, they campaigned on it, they went to their Town Halls. and told us little people how wonderfully awesome it was, Obama signed into law. and now they get out of it.

Time after time the laws in this country are only for us little people.

What a corrupt group of 'people' on Capitol Hill.

Yes We Can !

Screw you over !

Let me try to explain this.

Congress and staffers always were and will be moving from FEHB to the ACA health care exchanges for their insurance. Originally, there was no provision in said ACA to cover what the government has been contributing to each person's insurance premiums (as almost all business do), which would have meant that Congress and staffers would now have to pay full premiums rather than the common reduced premiums generally paid when they moved from FEHB. OPM fixed that issue, and ensured that the government would still make the same contributions towards the employee's health insurance as it always has.

reply to post by usernameconspiracy


So, the difference is that they always had their premiums paid by the 'employer', and still will ?

And, they can't get credits because they will be 'subsidized' by their employer (the government) ?

So now the private insurance companies will get the business ?

Is the current system using private contractors to 'manage' ?

Does the current system have private companies as underwriters ?

And, the only 'issue' was "who pays" ?

reply to post by usernameconspiracy


If my premiums match theirs (government) and don't increase, if I can still have my same doctor (like congress employee's), if I can still have the same coverage as theirs, if I can still have the same freedoms as congress to choose what plan I want, then I will say they aren't getting a better/unfair deal than the rest of America.

reply to post by usernameconspiracy


Saying Reuters is wrong ?

The decision by the Office of Personnel Management, with Obama's blessing, will prevent the largely unintended loss of healthcare benefits for 535 members of the Senate and House of Representatives and thousands of Capitol Hill staff.

When Congress passed the health reform law known as Obamacare in 2010, an amendment required that lawmakers and their staff members purchase health insurance through the online exchanges that the law created. They would lose generous coverage under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program

Obamacare for Yee,but not for Thee

Tell me more about how like totally awesome the Care Act is.....

It is an exemption...from the ACA. An exemption is something outside of the rules. There was a proposed amendment that was made to threaten the subsidies as it should. They are citizens just like us. Why was the OPM monies not taken away in the original ACA to level the playing field as they are declaring for the rest of us.

It is in the article...

The guidelines, released Wednesday, allow for members and staff to retain their subsidies from the government, an exception in exchange for giving up “premium tax credits” that they would otherwise be eligible for under Obamacare.

EXEMPTION

This is a good explanation also...

"Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured... But not everyone must prove they are a citizen." Now in turn, "Many of those who refuse, or are unable, to prove they are citizens will receive free insurance paid for by those who are forced to buy insurance because they are citizens."

Makes NO sense now does it and it goes on and on with things like this. Those who support Obamacare have absolutely no clue. It was a tax bill and no, when trying to implement, it is blowing up like the 4th of July.

Originally posted by neo96
reply to post by usernameconspiracy

 

Saying Reuters is wrong ?

The decision by the Office of Personnel Management, with Obama's blessing, will prevent the largely unintended loss of healthcare benefits for 535 members of the Senate and House of Representatives and thousands of Capitol Hill staff.

When Congress passed the health reform law known as Obamacare in 2010, an amendment required that lawmakers and their staff members purchase health insurance through the online exchanges that the law created. They would lose generous coverage under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program

Obamacare for Yee,but not for Thee

Tell me more about how like totally awesome the Care Act is.....

The article is completely accurate. You are misinterpreting what the article says.

All of that is accurate, but you seem to not want to understand what benefit would have been lost. Your employer offers you access to health insurance at a lower rate than you would pay normally, because your employer is covering part of your premium as a benefit to you. The ACA, by requiring Congress and staffers to come off of FEHB and on to an ACA exchange, unintentionally made no way for the portions of FEHB previously paid by the employer (government) to carry over. In essence, they would be paying full premiums. The OPM fix makes sure the employer still covers a portion of the premium. Is that hard to understand?

Not only will Congress and their staffers be switching to ACA in January, they are forced to do so. And since I'm around this stuff all the time (I continue to be an employee of the Federal government) I'm fully satisfied that you don't know what you are talking about.

Originally posted by xuenchen
reply to post by usernameconspiracy

 

So, the difference is that they always had their premiums paid by the 'employer', and still will ?

Come on, now. They never had their complete premiums paid by the government. They had a portion paid just like any other employer pays a portion of their employees health insurance. That is all the OPM change does. Makes sure that the contribution towards health insurance they always received will still be received.

I'm still under FEHB. GSA pays a portion of my premium. Same thing happened when I worked for American Airlines. And Kroger. And every other job I've had who offered insurance as a benefit.

Originally posted by neo96
reply to post by usernameconspiracy

 

Saying Reuters is wrong ?

The decision by the Office of Personnel Management, with Obama's blessing, will prevent the largely unintended loss of healthcare benefits for 535 members of the Senate and House of Representatives and thousands of Capitol Hill staff.

When Congress passed the health reform law known as Obamacare in 2010, an amendment required that lawmakers and their staff members purchase health insurance through the online exchanges that the law created. They would lose generous coverage under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program

Obamacare for Yee,but not for Thee

Tell me more about how like totally awesome the Care Act is.....

From the exact article you linked but conveniently chose to leave out:

In a ruling issued on Wednesday, U.S. lawmakers and their staffs will continue to receive a federal contribution toward the health insurance that they must purchase through soon-to-open exchanges created by President Barack Obama's signature healthcare law.

reply to post by usernameconspiracy


Congressman don't purchase squat

WE DO since WE pay their 'salaries'.

Keep making excuses to them by all means.

reply to post by usernameconspiracy


It seems that no one wants to listen to the truth that there is no exemption.

I explained it, you explained it, but still the most popular responses are "must be nice to get an exemption". It seems that some people have made up their mind of what they WANT to be true, and damn the facts, they are going to keep repeating over and over what they WANT to be the truth...even though they personally hate this fabricated truth of theirs.

It's kind of scary, they have created an alternate reality that they hate, but they choose to stay in it.