Did Congress expressly exempt themselves? No. Did the President expressly exempt Congress? No
Congress is only exempt to the point as any person (most Americans) with employee-funded medical insurance.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/09/25/fact-check-congress-staff-are-exempt-from-obamacare/
VERDICT:
False. Congress is no more exempt than any other employer who drops coverage and then helps employees purchase insurance on the exchanges.
Originally posted by moon1969Do they get their insurance through the exchanges?
Did Congress expressly exempt themselves? No. Did the President expressly exempt Congress? No
Congress is only exempt to the point as any person (most Americans) with employee-funded medical insurance.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/09/25/fact-check-congress-staff-are-exempt-from-obamacare/
VERDICT:
False. Congress is no more exemp ...[text shortened]... other employer who drops coverage and then helps employees purchase insurance on the exchanges.
Currently, members of Congress and their staff receive health care coverage through the Federal Employee Health Benefits Plan (FEHBP). The FEHBP allows individuals to choose from a set of options to pick the health plan that is right for them. As with any employer-based health plan, the federal government (the employer) can contribute to the health care premium of the employee and the contributions are not included in taxes.
However, Section 1312 of Obamacare requires that all members of Congress and congressional staff must either get their health care coverage from a health plan created by Obamacare or through an Obamacare exchange. Obamacare exchanges do not allow tax-exempt employer contributions to health care premiums. The only subsidies available to individuals on Obamacare are the premium tax credits for individuals who are under 400 percent of the federal poverty line .
The idea was, if Congress is going to write a law that forces tens of thousands of Americans on Obamacare through the individual mandate, Congress should be prepared to share in that experience.
But now the administration is defeating the purpose of that idea by allowing special treatment for members of Congress and their staff. Instead of going on Obamacare and abiding by the same laws and requirements as everyone else in it, members of Congress can now receive tax-exempt contributions from their employer (the federal government) to their health care premiums on the Obamacare exchange. This will create one set of rules for the American people and a different set of rules for Congress.
Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/healthcare/325201-no-congressional-obamacare-exemptions#ixzz2gQZpbEbS
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Originally posted by utherpendragonYou are confusing moon with facts again. ðŸ˜
Currently, members of Congress and their staff receive health care coverage through the Federal Employee Health Benefits Plan (FEHBP). The FEHBP allows individuals to choose from a set of options to pick the health plan that is right for them. As with any employer-based health plan, the federal government (the employer) can contribute to the health ca ...[text shortened]... sional-obamacare-exemptions#ixzz2gQZpbEbS
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Originally posted by utherpendragonIt is a red herring. I mean you are arguing that the only difference is tax exemption of the their employer contribution. You are not arguing they are exempt from Obamacare (in fact you are arguing that unlike other Americans currently with medical insurance, Congress is actually forced to get medical insurance through Obamacare), and that the only difference is their employer-contribution is not taxed.
Currently, members of Congress and their staff receive health care coverage through the Federal Employee Health Benefits Plan (FEHBP). The FEHBP allows individuals to choose from a set of options to pick the health plan that is right for them. As with any employer-based health plan, the federal government (the employer) can contribute to the health ca ...[text shortened]... sional-obamacare-exemptions#ixzz2gQZpbEbS
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As for taxing the employer contribution, that is the federal government already paying for their health insurance -- seems cumbersome to tax it. Why not just cut their pay instead? And what percent of their income are we talking about? -- about 2%? Wow big bucks. Big deal. This is massive. At worse, seems like a small consolation for having no choice like us already with medical insurance to not go through the exchanges.
Indeed, strikingly, Congress is more wedded to Obamacare than most of us with medical insurance -- they already have medical insurance but are now forced to go through the exchanges. Most of us with medical insurance are not. Congress is more forcibly tied to Obamacare, and plainly not exempt.
It is really is joke to make the assertion that Congress is exempt from the ACA. The website you cite is incredibly misleading and a joke also. But it is sheep like you who buy it.
Originally posted by whodeywhodey, you have no idea the facts and what they mean. Keep grazing with the other sheep.
You are confusing moon with facts again. ðŸ˜
Congress already has medical insurance but Grassley made sure they are forced to go through the exchanges. Jesus Christ, Congress is forcibly more tied to Obamacare than us.
Originally posted by moon1969Here’s an interesting sideline on the matter—
If Grassley has is way.
They should not be forced. They should be just like all the rest of us with current employer-funded medical insurance.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2013/10/01/guess-who-pushed-hard-for-obamacare-subsidies-for-congress-before-using-those-subsidies-to-shut-down-the-government/
“While Speaker Boehner apparently has no problem making the eradication of healthcare subsidies for Members of Congress and their staffs the straw that broke the government’s back, it turns out that it was Speaker John Boehner who was personally responsible for getting the government to agree to give Congress back the contributions to their healthcare in the first place!”
. . .
“And yet, despite Boehner’s lead role in accomplishing the return of the subsidies for his Members and their staffs, this did not, for one moment, prevent him from introducing a rule to take them away or leave the nation to do without their government if he did not get his way. He did this with a a straight face and an expression of completely disingenuous anger that we have come to expect from the Speaker and his party in Congress.”
The ACA did indeed specify that members of congress were not exempt and it applied to them like everybody else but Obongo, The Chosen One, all by hisself said "oh, no, the chosen few don't have to accept Obongo care".
And he did it by decree and the libtards and the media let it pass.
This country now officially makes me sick.
Originally posted by KilgoreTrout15Kilgore = Fail. Did the President expressly exempt Congress? No
The ACA did indeed specify that members of congress were not exempt and it applied to them like everybody else but Obongo, The Chosen One, all by hisself said "oh, no, the chosen few don't have to accept Obongo care".
And he did it by decree and the libtards and the media let it pass.
This country now officially makes me sick.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/09/25/fact-check-congress-staff-are-exempt-from-obamacare/
VERDICT:
False. Congress is no more exempt than any other employer who drops coverage and then helps employees purchase insurance on the exchanges.
Originally posted by moon1969You guys have a real struggle dragging Americans into the 20th, never mind the 21st century, that guy thinks its 1774.
Kilgore = Fail. Did the President expressly exempt Congress? No
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/09/25/fact-check-congress-staff-are-exempt-from-obamacare/
VERDICT:
False. Congress is no more exempt than any other employer who drops coverage and then helps employees purchase insurance on the exchanges.