Obamacare to pay 'navigators' $20 to $48 an hour, provide free translators

The Washington Examiner ^ | Apri 3, 2013 | Staff

[Hojczyk]

Tens of thousands of health care professionals, union workers and community activists hired as "navigators" to help Americans choose Obamacare options starting Oct. 1 will be paid up to $48 an hour, more than six times the federal minimum wage of $7.25, according to new regulations issued Wednesday.

The 63-page rule covering navigators, drawn up by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, also said the government will provide free translators for those not fluent in English -- no matter what their native language is.

It is still not clear how many navigators will be required. California, however, provides a hint. It wants 21,000.

That could be an expensive proposition, since every one of them must be paid a minimum of $20 an hour. According to the new regulations, navigators and assistants will earn $20 an hour, while navigator project leaders will earn $29 an hour. Navigator senior executives will be paid $48 an hour.

The rules allow navigators to come from the ranks of unions, health providers and community action groups such as ACORN and Planned Parenthood. They are required to provide unbiased advice.

Some in Congress are already wary of the navigators. Louisiana Republican Rep. Charles Boustany Jr., chairman of the House Ways and Means Oversight subcommittee, has raised questions about a voter registration provision in the Obamacare application Americans will have to fill out to receive health care, and whether Democratic-leaning activists will influence which party people choose to join.

[NOVACPA]

Yep, and those Stockton-style pensions...

[smoky415]

11,000 * $20 * 2080 = $457,600,000

8,000 * $29 * 2080 = $482,560,000

2,000 * $48 * 2080 = $199,680,000

$1,139,840,000

Then add in overtime, retirement, health care, etc. Will each one get a car to go to their clients homes or businesses? The price tag could double that above.

[Artie]

Who will be training these “Navigators”?

[jurroppi1]

874 Million per year on CA alone if all of them earned the minimum of $20.00 per hour based on a 40 hour workweek.

Wow, if even half of the states needed that much we might be talking about real money...

[NOVACPA]

Thanks, I didn’t have time to do a weighted average before, but yours looks good!

[AppyPappy]

The bad part for them is a Republican Congress can cut them whenever they choose.

[Nachum]

The list, Ping

Let me know if you would like to be on or off the ping list

http://www.nachumlist.com/

[I want the USA back]

Unions and communist front groups (community organizers). Guess that about excludes all of us.

He’s using our money to pay his biggest supporters.

Had enough yet?

[dennisw]

Another jobs program for Obama-voters *only* plus they can keep their EBT cards and ObamaFones

[GOPJ]

...union workers and community activists hired as "navigators" to help Americans choose Obamacare options starting Oct. 1 will be paid up to $48 an hour, more than six times the federal minimum wage of $7.25

Hey, ya gotta spread the money around to keep 'em votin' right...

More people vote for a living than work for a living - Marc Faber

[I want the USA back]

More people vote for a living than work for a living - Marc Faber

Absolutely!

[freekitty]

This is not about healthcare. It never has been. Its the destruction of our country. Our Congress should be tried for treason.

[Nachum]

The list, Ping

Let me know if you would like to be on or off the ping list

http://www.nachumlist.com/

[smoky415]

I just scanned the entire document - they cite an average salary of $29.20, which would mean CA alone costing us $1,275,456,000 in base salary alone.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
45 CFR Part 155
[CMS-9955-P]
RIN 0938-AR75
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Exchange Functions: Standards for
Navigators and Non-Navigator Assistance Personnel

[winodog]

I bet they can work at home with computer the gov.con provides them with to navigate

[Slyfox]

There are at least a couple of important differences:

I know, but I can't help but think that the people's reaction to being talked into an Obamascare Exchange will be similar to one of those government temporary workers leaving notes on people's doors and telling them how beneficial it is for everyone to be counted.

[Chode]

ya gotta be sh!ttin me... talk about buying votes!!!

[Mister Da]

The big “secret” of socialist programs is that a major portion of the money spent goes to bureaucrats.