Trump should end congressional exemption from ObamaCare 03/30/17
After heavy lobbying by leaders of both parties on both sides of the Capitol dome, President Obama came to their rescue. He directed the Office of Personnel Management to issue a rule – now codified as 78 Fed. Reg. 60653-01 – declaring Congress itself a small business (!), the necessary subterfuge to set them up for the kicker: Because Congress was deemed a “small business,” “the DC Health Link Small Business Market administered by the DC Health Benefit Exchange Authority is the appropriate SHOP from which Members of Congress and designated congressional staff will purchase health insurance in order to receive a Government contribution.”
Repeal Congress’ special exemption from Obamacare, kill two birds with one stone November 23, 2016
The good news is, President Trump won’t have to wait for congressional action on this — he can undo the illegal ruling by simply signing his name to a Presidential Memorandum directing the OPM to reverse its 2013 rule considering Congress a small business, which directed that, consequently, “the DC Health Link Small Business Market administered by the DC Health Benefit Exchange Authority, is the appropriate SHOP from which Members of Congress and designated congressional staff will purchase health insurance in order to receive a Government contribution.”
OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
5 CFR Part 890
RIN 3206–AM85
Federal Employees Health Benefits Program: Members of Congress and Congressional Staff
§ 890.101 Definitions; time computations.
SHOP has the meaning given in 45 CFR 155.20.
Title 45 - Public Welfare
Federally-facilitated SHOP means a Small Business Health Options Program established and operated within a State by the Secretary under section 1321(c)(1) of the Affordable Care Act.
Ironic that it's under "Public" Welfare.
Thank you for those important details. Many people had been questioning whether or not Trump had the authority to act unilaterally.
I stand corrected. Trump can do this, and immediately should.
Thank you for a highly informative post that cleared everything up.