Posted on 03/28/2015 5:34:12 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
It might be fun to poke fun at Texas Senator and GOP Presidential candidate Ted Cruz for signing up for Obamacare but he is far from alone. As a matter of fact some other top GOP candidates for the 2016 Republican nomination are right there with Cruz. In fact almost every member of the House and the Senate who have voted over 50 times to repeal Obamacare are enrolled in the plan.
It is important to be clear there is no such thing as being on Obamacare. Its not an insurance plan, or a single program like Medicare or Social Security. Over 12.7 million Americans have used the exchanges are all on private insurance plans, and there are hundreds of them to choose from they simply bought them through exchanges and those plans must conform to the laws established by the Affordable Care Act. One of the key points being pre-existing conditions as an example.
Florida Senator Marco Rubio gets his insurance from the Washington, D.C. exchange like most members of the House and Senate have chosen to do. Senator Rubio is following the law, even though he opposes it, a spokeswoman told the Tampa Bay Times when he first signed up back in 2013.
Rubio is joined on the list by Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, and South Carolina Senator, Lindsey Graham, two other likely GOP Presidential contenders. Over 75 percent of the entire Congress get their insurance through an exchange.As a matter of fact all of the top congressional leaders Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio), House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Congressman Paul Ryan are all getting their coverage through the Districts exchange, known as DC Health Link.
They all have been part of the ACA system since 2013 and yet we have not heard of even one bad experience a member of the House or Senate has had. In over two years of taking their families to the doctors not one story of poor care, or how bad they have seen the system work up close and personal.
Members of Congress used to get their health insurance just like any other federal employees, but Obamacare changed that. An amendment from Republican Sen. Charles Grassley kicked lawmakers and their staffers out of the exchange for federal employees; instead, they would have to use an Obamacare exchange. The government can still cover a portion of their premiums, just as almost all large employers do for their employees.
If he really wants to make a point, Cruz can go outside the exchange. But he probably would be purchasing roughly the same coveragemaybe even the exact same policy, just using a more cumbersome shopping process.
The biggest reason for lawmakers to use the exchanges, though, is so the government will be able to make its contribution to their premiums. Cruz has said he will forgo that subsidy, which would have covered more than 70 percent of his familys premiums. A perk that Rubio, Paul and many other have chosen to exercise.
We all know that Ted Cruz hates Obamacare but if you wonder why his Republican colleagues havent called him out in public it because they are all part of the ACA gang. Would not do for them to be critical of Cruz since they are all part of an exchange.
Every last one of them should be on it.
Ask any of them if they had a choice. Nobody wants that crap, they’re being FORCED to buy it.
As Cruz says, he’s no fan of the IRS but he pays taxes.
How the hell could a member of Congress qualify for a subsidy? Cruz said he’s not taking it but I wonder how much it amounts to...
Obama approved Congress to receive the same health insurance benefit value they had received before Obamacare.
It amounts to 75% of their cost.
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Its the law for them too.
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Vitter’s bill to end the subsidy for members of Congress got into the budget resolution.
http://blogs.rollcall.com/wgdb/vitter-amendment-rears-its-head-in-wee-hours-of-vote-a-rama/
“One Democrat, Michael Bennet of Colorado, who faces the voters in 2016, joined Vitter, while three Republicans Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Dan Coats of Indiana voted no.”
The scumbags will no doubt find a way to keep it, they’re sure fighting hard.
It is the law, is it not?
Although I thought that Obemba had exempted Congresscritters from Obembacare.
The law requires that you have health insurance, or pay a penalty for having it. It does not require you to use the ACA marketplaces. Please note that he didn’t use the marketplace previously, as he was covered by his wife’s plan. He has 3 choices; he can buy his health care through the marketplace, he can buy it himself, or he can choose to go without and pay the penalty.
Good explanation. With his wife leaving GS, their family income is likely taking an 80% plus hit, so I can’t blame him for looking for the best deal.
Any discussion of the ACA2010 needs to acknowledge that “health insurance” is a complete misnomer, and no longer exists in the US. The term is simply an archaic holdover from a quaint bygone era when private companies could pick and choose their customers, and make a profit based on actuarial tables and the law of averages. We now only have socialized medical care, compartmentalized into various packages like gold, silver, and bronze, depending on the size of the mandatory compliance fee you pay to avoid a penalty. The same is true of the Federal employee plans, since they are obligated to provide said coverage. It may look superficially like health insurance but it has no resemblance to the strict definition. Obama has effed this country but good.
Isn’t it law that Congresspukes be on it?
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Yes, it is.
Understood but the price of insurance outside of the Exchange has gone through the roof. I don’t consider it a choice when the alternative will break the family bank.
Tell me again, what are the options. That is without endangering my family, where do you go to avoid Obamacare?
Every last one of them should have to pay the outrageous premiums and deductibles the rest of us have to pay.
I refuse to use the CommieCare exchange. Premiums are costing me a quarter of my income.. Money down the drain! I’m so temped to go w/o insurance again.
I keep hearing that Obamacare isn’t the best deal.
[snip] The biggest reason for lawmakers to use the exchanges, though, is so the government will be able to make its contribution to their premiums. Cruz has said he will forgo that subsidy, which would have covered more than 70 percent of his family's premiums. A perk that Rubio, Paul and many other have chosen to exercise. [/snip]
Harry Reid Says Lindsey Graham Is A Rat, Feeds Him Dirt On Republicans Whenever I Need To Know
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