Posted on 01/22/2016 2:51:40 PM PST by BlackFemaleArmyColonel
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) revealed Thursday that he and his family -- including his two young daughters -- are not currently covered by health insurance. His reason? The 2016 presidential candidate told his audience at a New Hampshire campaign stop that his provider, BlueCross BlueShield of Texas, had dropped all of its individual policies and he was finding an alternative because "our premiums are going up 50 percent."
"That's happening all over the country. That's happening in New Hampshire," he said.
However, a number of details of his account do not line up with what health care experts told TPM.
For one, BCBS-Texas did not drop all of its individual plans, but rather just its PPO plans --a type of health insurance that tends to be more expensive but also more flexible, because it allows consumers to visit a variety of caregivers without first receiving a referral. The insurer continued to offer its HMO plans and said it dropped its PPO plans in order to keep the other plans affordable.
"Last year we informed members that we would no longer offer PPO's to individual policy holders, but would work to transition them to other available insurance plans for individuals so they would not experience a gap in coverage," said BCBS-Texas spokeswoman Edna Pérez-Vega, via email to TPM. "Those who have been transitioned also have the option of choosing different plans for 2016. We worked with the members and their providers to minimize the impact of this change to their ongoing care, particularly if they needed to transfer their care to other providers."
BCBS-Texas announced it was dropping the PPOs in July, meaning Cruz had months to find a plan before his coverage lapsed Dec. 31. (The open enrollment deadline for coverage kicking in on Jan. 1 was December 17).
(Excerpt) Read more at talkingpointsmemo.com ...
Cruz and his family don't have health insurance?
So what? They have money.
When Cruz entered the campaign, it was reported the insurance congress had for him, he or they dropped. His wife quit her job and that was not an option either.. so he signed up for obamacare. He took a lot of flack for that.. but that was all he could do for his family at the time. I do not know if this report is/was correct, but that’s what the reports were at the time. It was reported he voted against it and then had to use it.
You’re it if you do and you’re it if you don’t.
Come on Cruz...you have a family & have no health insurance?
You need to better than that.
Doesn’t the Senate, or Goldman Sachs offer health insurance plans?
#6 answered that for me.
Someone (BlackFemaleArmyCaptain) who said she liked Bill Clinton and thought he was a decent president is going to question Ted Cruz’s integrity? That’s rich!
...and I support Trump. But I certainly respect Ted Cruz very much and think he is a rare, noble public servant.
Ted and Heidi don’t appear to do well with filings of paper work, or even with reading them.
Also, isn't Heidi on a leave of absence from GS? Not sure if that allows you to sign up.
With small kids, it's a bit risky to go without insurance though.
He’ll have to pay a penalty, next April 15th.
Because Dracula doesnt t need health insurance.
?My father never had health insurance. He paid for our health care himself....and he didn’t have the kind of money Cruz has.
You are reaching to criticize.
Exactly. Like Rush, they are basically self-insured.
I saw into the future... spooky... Do you want me to predict who will get the Republican Nomination....
Ok...I will
Cruz.
So is he LYING about not having any health insurance now?
Apparently you don’t realize that, if you have enough money, you don’t actually need health insurance.
Insurance is for people who can’t afford an expense if it comes up. Like Rush Limbaugh, Cruz is essentially self-insured.
Whatever method you used, for that prediction, isn’t working.
No he won’t. He is exempt. Although he has led the charge to repeal the law.
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