Posted on 07/24/2014 12:18:56 PM PDT by cll
The Obama administration is coming under fire for once again making a unilateral change to ObamaCare -- this time, quietly exempting the five U.S. territories and their more than 4 million residents from virtually all major provisions of the health care law.
The decision was made a week ago, and was a long time coming. For months, the territories have been complaining that the law was implemented so poorly in their regions that it destabilized their insurance markets.
Until now, the Department of Health and Human Services claimed its hands were tied. But last Wednesday, the department reversed course.
The about-face has some questioning the department's authority to suddenly grant 4.1 million Americans an out from ObamaCare. It follows a cascade of prior unilateral actions delaying and nixing parts of the law for certain groups -- actions which in part prompted House Republicans to launch a lawsuit against President Obama challenging his use of executive power.
"The White House knows that ObamaCare is a train wreck," Republican National Committee spokesman Raffi Williams told FoxNews.com. "Excluding the territories from their train wreck of a law is just the latest example of delays and waivers the administration has issued to quietly limit the damage of the law without admitting that they have ruined the American health care system."
The decision covers residents in Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands.
~ snip ~
The lopsided requirements crippled the individual markets in some of the territories. In the Northern Mariana Islands, the top provider, for example, told the insurance commissioner it would stop selling new plans to residents. Premiums shot through the roof and the idea of long-term affordable health care became more myth than reality.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
"That's because the territories were subject to some parts of the law but exempt from others. Namely, their residents did not receive subsidies to help defray the cost of insurance and their residents were largely exempt from the requirement to buy insurance. But insurance companies were still supposed to follow the law's requirements to cover everyone with a certain minimum set of benefits, and other standards".
can we just declare all states’territories and be done with this country-destroying behemoth law? how many are exempt anyway? groups, companies, states...?
I wonder how that’s working for Resident Commissioner (and Obama supporter) Pedro Pierluisi?
CC
Ooops, I thought it said ‘five US terrorists’. Oh, well....
Can't type what was going to initially type. The first time I read the italics section I read territories as 'terrorists'. Gee, mind needs a break before full break. LOL
you too?
Not a peep heard down here yet. I found out about this from a compadre who lives in Georgia.
St. Thomas is pretty cool.
What do I have to do to become a citizen of the U.S. Virgin Islands?
any “law” written by congress that is unilaterally changed by an organization within the executive branch is not a law at all.
JoMa
Ah, just move there as if you were moving from Georgia to Alabama. Life is very expensive there, though.
I'd think this will be the unintended consequence. People and businesses will find their way to these territories. I'd also think that doctors who are fed up with Obamacare would use this option.
Can't we just move to Puerto Rico and the other US territories? The people from them can move here.
“I’d think this will be the unintended consequence. People and businesses will find their way to these territories. I’d also think that doctors who are fed up with Obamacare would use this option.
Can’t we just move to Puerto Rico and the other US territories? The people from them can move here”.
That is already happening. Add the Obamacare exemption to the fact that most Puerto Rico-source income is not subject to U.S. income taxes, and that the Puerto Rico government recently passed legislation exempting newcomers from capital gains and other taxes (Google Act 2/22 Society), and you’ll see why many continentals are already moving here.
“....as the HHS Secretary may direct....”
great idea. A Conservative version of the Free State Project, millions of us trade our homes for theirs. lol.
Then the next election, Puerto Rico actually becomes independent.
So now it’s just the 57 states hanging out there alone...
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