Posted on 08/02/2013 6:41:59 AM PDT by EXCH54FE
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.
Just Wednesday, POLITICO reported that President Barack Obama told Democratic senators that he was personally involved in finding a solution.
The problem was rooted in the original text of the Affordable Care Act. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) inserted a provision which said members of Congress and their aides must be covered by plans "created" by the law or "offered through an exchange." If payments stopped, lawmakers and aides would have faced thousands of dollars in additional premium payments each year. Under the old system, the government contributed nearly 75 percent of premium payments.
Obama's involvement in solving this impasse was unusual, to say the least. But it came after serious griping from both sides of the aisle about the potential of a "brain drain." The fear, as told by sources in both parties, was that aides would head for more lucrative jobs, spooked by the potential for spiking health premiums.
White House officials acknowledged that a fix was needed. But they knew that once they dealt with it through a regulation, some Republicans would use it against them - even though most of their party was privately obsessing over it.
So members of congress and their staffs will be able to purchase the most expensive policy available on the exchange and you and I will pick up most of the tab.
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
Health care in this country is almost certainly destined to bifurcate into two streams - the “free” Obamacare version, and the privately contracted REAL delivery of health care services to those who are willing and able to pay a fee for services rendered. Overall average quality of health for Obamacare recipients will decline, perhaps to the levels not seen since before the rise of modern medicine (antibiotics, advanced surgical techniques, immunology, sophisticated diagnostic techniques and organ regeneration).
Any kind of innovation will be discouraged, even suppressed, because such innovation “upsets” the delicate balance of survivors to decedents, and gives a kick to the head for the whole concept of “Quality Adjusted Remaining Years” (QARY) determined by a Value Judgment Health Board - in other words, a death panel.
But for the few elite, an almost royal level of health maintenance will be their standard. I do not begrudge those people who can afford the costs the right to seek and utilize this level of care.
But the recklessness of thinking that this level could be extended by fiat to EVERYBODY is an illusion and objective impossible to achieve. Real health services provided by other than the individual for personal application are by nature a scarce resource, and rationed either by the discretion of a third party, or by cost.
The maintenance of one’s own state of health is a personal responsibility and an imperative duty. Nowhere is this delegated to any government entity. The object is not to get sick in the first place, or if an ailment does befall one, take the necessary steps to mitigate or reverse the effects of the disorder. There is no one blanket “solution” that covers every situation, nor should there be.
Grounds for A USSC case?
Exactly - foolish sheep. Too bad there wasn’t a second party in this country that would stand for a principle. But the people supporting this are on both ‘sides’ of the aisle. What we have today is more of a moebius strip political party.
Tar slowly warming. Feathers at the ready. Plenty of rails available.
“This should be a 1776 moment.”
It should be but it won’t be. That moment passed when the Pelosi ratpack passed ObamaCare in the dead of night on Christmas Eve against the will of most Americans. It’s been downhill to tyranny ever since. Sometimes you just have to face reality. Timing IS everything. And we blew it.
there is no chance of repeal since congress has now exempted itself once again
Obamanationcare is for the little people, not for the ruling class.
Senator Grassley was a staunch opponent of the health care bill and remains an opponent. In an effort to stop the bill from becoming law, he offered an amendment to include Congress and their aids in any plans created by the law. The democrats had a slim majority that would not hold if they were seen as exempting themselves and their aids from the law; therefore they accepted his amendment. The issue now is an effort by the democrats to get around what they originally voted for. They don't now have the votes to enact new legislation exempting themselves and their aids so they are trying to accomplish that goal by executive action.
It may be comforting to blame Senator Grassley and republicans for this, but it is not accurate. Under our system, if you don't have the votes you don't control the system. It is unfortunate, but for the last 6 or 7 years, republicans, including republican voters, have be so busy pointing fingers and fighting with one another that the united democrats have easily dominated. Please forgive my cynicism, but as long as we insist on blaming republicans for actions of democrats, we will continue to be ruled by democrats.
The HC bill should have never made it out of committee, it takes two yea’s from the minority to get a bill out of committee, that said, on the floor to have a bill submitted as read requires unanimous consent, just one nea and they MUST read the entire bill. Republicans were under orders from the leadership to not oppose the bill non-reading.
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