Congress Must Stop $105.5 Billion in Automatic Obamacare Spending

Townhall.com ^ | March 16, 2011 | Terry Jeffrey

[Kaslin]

Thanks to the irrepressible Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, who is emerging as the most energetic and principled conservative leader of the 112th Congress, the Congressional Research Service published a report on Feb. 10 detailing how the Obama administration is planning to spend $105.5 billion that was put on an appropriations autopilot in the health care legislation the Democrat-majority Congress enacted last year.

Unless the Republican-controlled House in this Congress can force President Obama to sign new legislation forbidding dispersal of this $105.5 billion, the administration will spend it to lay the basic foundations for a socialistic health care system in the United States.

The CRS report includes a 12-page table itemizing a broad array of intrusions into the prerogatives of states and individuals authorized by provisions in the Obamacare law and funded for this and future years without the need of Congress passing the customary annual appropriations laws to underwrite them.

According to the CRS report, the automatically funded Obamacare items include, among others:

-- Whatever amount the secretary of health and human services determines is necessary for "each fiscal year" for "grants to states to plan and establish exchanges" for selling federally approved, federally subsidized health insurance plans. On the last day of fiscal 2010, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius approved an initial $49 million in grants for this purpose. In January, according to CRS, HHS "encouraged states to apply" for additional grants this year.

-- $6 billion for Sebelius "to establish the Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan (CO-OP) program to provide funding until July 1, 2013, for the creation of non-profit member-run health insurance issuers that offer" government-approved health insurance plans. This would be the Haight-Ashbury branch of our new socialized medical system.

-- $500 million for Sebelius to establish, as Section 3026 of Obamacare puts it, "a Community-Based Care Transitions Program under which the Secretary provides funding to eligible entities that furnish improved care transition services to high-risk Medicare beneficiaries."

Under the Obamacare law, a "high risk Medicare beneficiary" is "a Medicare beneficiary who has attained a minimum hierarchical condition category score, as determined by the secretary, based on a diagnosis of multiple chronic conditions or other risk factors associated with a hospital readmission or substandard transition into post-hospitalization care, which may include 1 or more of the following: (A) Cognitive impairment. (B) Depression. (C) A history of multiple readmissions. (D) Any other chronic disease or risk factor as determined by the Secretary." In plain English: This $500 million for "community-based organizations" to take control of ill, elderly people.

-- $15 million so the administration can put together a Medicare "Payment Advisory Board." The CRS description of this board is a masterpiece in double-talk. "Creates an independent, 15-member Payment Advisory Board tasked with presenting Congress with comprehensive proposals to reduce excess cost growth and improve quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries," it says. "In years when Medicare costs are projected to exceed a target growth rate, the board's proposals will take effect unless Congress passes an alternative measure that achieves the same level of savings."

So, how will this board's virtually automatic provisions to "reduce excess cost growth" in Medicare work? The CRS description says: "The board would be prohibited from making proposals that ration care, raise taxes, or increase Part B premiums, or change Medicare benefit, eligibility, or cost-sharing standards."

This is like Obama saying he won't raise taxes on the middle class, but will have the IRS charge them a "penalty" if they don't buy health insurance. When the "Payment Advisory Board" orders rationing, it will call it something else: We are not rationing. We are just prohibiting payment for antibiotics for patients over 80 with pneumonia.

-- $9.5 billion, as the Obamacare law puts it, "to establish a Community Health Center Fund (referred to in this section as the 'CHC Fund'), to be administered through the Office of the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to provide for expanded and sustained national investment in community health centers." The Hyde Amendment, which only applies to funds appropriated by a law to which it has been attached, was not attached to the Obamacare law. Thus, "community health centers" funded by this $9.5 billion would not be statutorily prohibited from aborting babies.

Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., joined with Steve King in sending a letter to House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., asking them to include language in any new continuing resolution prohibiting the administration from spending any of the $105.5 billion in automatic funding built into the Obamacare law.

"If we do not stand our ground on the CR, leverage it as the 'must pass bill' that it is, and use it to stop the $105.5 billion in automatically appropriated funds, Obamacare will be implemented on our watch," King and Bachmann wrote the Republican leaders.

Boehner and Cantor did not heed King and Bachmann. They pushed a CR that did not stop the $105.5 billion in automatic spending.

Now every American who opposes a government takeover of our health care system should ask Boehner and Cantor: How exactly are you going to stop this $105.5 billion?

Or are you going to let Obama spend it?

[Pearls Before Swine]

Has anyone heard of the “Black Budget” that the president has? Supposedly, it is about $50 Billion dollars of tax payer money that he can spend anyway he wants.

If that's true, and we get rid of him, he's going to have terrible withdrawal symptoms!

I don't know the specifics, but clearly he can influence vast amounts of discretionary funds that are thrown out to his Islamic buddies that are not our allies. Whether these are completely black, or discretionary approved programs stretched beyond their original purpose is harder to say.

Don't ask me for specifics, but I recall all sorts of things in the past year: renovation funds for mosques abroad (probably because they're historic); immigration lotteries and quotas that have imported Somalia into formerly contented areas (Minneapolis and Lewiston, Maine);and no end of CAIR-approved commentators being given access and platforms.

[Kaslin]

You are forgetting this was done when the rats had the majority in the House, Senate and the White House and it was just reported less then 3 weeks ago, and you want immediate results, or if you don’t get it you are going to throw a temper tantrum like a spoiled brat

[lentulusgracchus]

It’s past time for the Republicans to show that they are not all weenies, like Boehner is.

The RiNO's all are. The GOP is the Stupid Party, but only if you fail to realize that they are the Fortune 500 Errand Boy Party -- if it isn't an errand for the Fortune 500 and the Chamber, they won't do it.

The GOP, the Party of the Smalltime Grift. "Coffee, your ladyship?"

[itssme]

Let's start pounding Boehner, Cantor and the freshmen politicians, who voted FOR the CR. with calls and emails and letters. Boehner does not work for himself, he works for We The People.

Boehner failed to add the following more effective language suggested by Michele Bachmann and Steve King: “Notwithstanding any other provision of law, none of the funds made availabe by this or any previous Act with respect to fiscal year may be used to carry out the provisions of Public Law lll-148, Public Law 111-152, or any amendment made by either such Public Law.” This language in the CR would have stopped the $105.5 billion in automatically appropriated funds.

But, no, Boehner refused to do so. He made excuses, he was standing on “rule” principles, he is fearful of closing down the government, “not on my watch, etc.” Weak, timid, cowardly House representatives, lacking in leadership is what we have. And obama smells this weakness, as the GOP bends over and shows their hand, instead of fighting for the defunding of obamacare, from a position of POWER. WE WON, and yet the GOP won't fight.

Pound these politicians and remind them, they work for We The People, they do not work for John Boehner. We voted and funded their campaigns, and we expect them to fulfill their campaign promises to defend and uphold the Constitution, freedom and liberty. And to defund/kill the obamacare bill.

And get rid of them all if they do not listen. The GOP and the freshman politicians spat in our faces when they voted FOR the CR. For whatever committee or chairman positions they were promised by Boehner for voting FOR the CR, remind them that we will not allow socialism/marxism/communism to rule the United States of America. Either stand up and fight for this country, like patriots and forefathers and soldiers of past wars who gave their lives for same, or get the hell out or we will guarantee that they are removed.

They will not play politics with our lives and that of our families. Not on our watch, Mr. Boehner.

[lentulusgracchus]

the GOP isn't serious about sending Obamacare to its grave.

They aren't. Not at all. Their job is to "handle" the unwashed Tea Party types who aren't in the know.

According to an October, 2008, article in Conde Nast's Portfolio, the high clerisy of the Wall Street Wing of the GOP, aka the Fortune 500 CEO's, had precleared Obamacare and were just waiting for the election to get out of the way before moving.

If McCain had been elected, another version of it would have been floated instead. The point being, the CEO's want healthcare OFF their balance sheets and onto the backs of the public, come hell or high water. "Bottom line", so to speak.

[longtermmemmory]

notice how that 105 billion is off the MSM radar.

Even FNC has the marching orders.

Obamacare is prefunded and these ongoing resolutions are just delay tactics.

Obama is ignoring the courts with a middle finger.

Obamacare departments are moving forward builing and buying buildings to set up shop with impunity.

[lentulusgracchus]

Boehner refused to do so. He made excuses, he was standing on “rule” principles, he is fearful of closing down the government, “not on my watch, etc.” Weak, timid, cowardly House representatives, lacking in leadership is what we have.

No, he isn't timid etc., .... he is deliberately throwing the fight. Taking a dive.

There's a difference.

[lentulusgracchus]

...notice how that 105 billion is off the MSM radar.

"What $105 billion?" lol, yeah, I noticed. United front, seamless mainstream lying.

[SharpRightTurn]

“This is all you need to know to figure out what Congress is going to do to stop Obamacare. Lets just start calling it Boehnercare.”

Agreed.

[Georgia Girl 2]

I’m pounding them for what they are not doing. This part of Obamacare is just one thing. The GOP will not I repeat will not engage the Democrats. They know how to get power but they do not know how to wield power. Now Nazi Pelosi, she knows how to wield power.

[itssme]

You are correct, and I agree with you. Boehner is deliberately throwing the fight and taking a dive.

Pound him, Cantor and those freshman reps who sided with him....and against We The People.