1. Houston, Texas
    Joined
    28 Sep '10
    Moves
    14347
    30 Sep '13 23:191 edit
    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.
  2. The Catbird's Seat
    Joined
    21 Oct '06
    Moves
    2598
    01 Oct '13 00:30
    Originally posted by moon1969
    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.
    Do they get their insurance through the exchanges?
  3. Hy-Brasil
    Joined
    24 Feb '09
    Moves
    175970
    01 Oct '13 01:011 edit
    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
    Follow us: @thehill on Twitter | TheHill on Facebook
  4. Joined
    02 Jan '06
    Moves
    12857
    01 Oct '13 02:26
    Originally posted by utherpendragon
    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
    Follow us: @thehill on Twitter | TheHill on Facebook
    You are confusing moon with facts again. 😠
  5. Houston, Texas
    Joined
    28 Sep '10
    Moves
    14347
    01 Oct '13 04:033 edits
    Originally posted by utherpendragon
    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
    Follow us: @thehill on Twitter | TheHill on Facebook
    It 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.

    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.
  6. Houston, Texas
    Joined
    28 Sep '10
    Moves
    14347
    01 Oct '13 04:05
    Originally posted by whodey
    You are confusing moon with facts again. 😠
    whodey, you have no idea the facts and what they mean. Keep grazing with the other sheep.

    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.
  7. Houston, Texas
    Joined
    28 Sep '10
    Moves
    14347
    01 Oct '13 04:10
    Originally posted by normbenign
    Do they get their insurance through the exchanges?
    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.
  8. Hmmm . . .
    Joined
    19 Jan '04
    Moves
    22131
    01 Oct '13 20:20
    Originally posted by moon1969
    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.
    Here’s an interesting sideline on the matter—

    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.”
  9. Joined
    08 Dec '12
    Moves
    9224
    01 Oct '13 22:44
    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.
  10. Houston, Texas
    Joined
    28 Sep '10
    Moves
    14347
    01 Oct '13 23:26
    Originally posted by KilgoreTrout15
    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.
    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.
  11. Account suspended
    Joined
    26 Aug '07
    Moves
    38239
    02 Oct '13 00:01
    Originally posted by moon1969
    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.
    You guys have a real struggle dragging Americans into the 20th, never mind the 21st century, that guy thinks its 1774.
  12. Joined
    29 Mar '09
    Moves
    816
    06 Oct '13 20:24
    Originally posted by robbie carrobie
    You guys have a real struggle dragging Americans into the 20th, never mind the 21st century, that guy thinks its 1774.
    Obamacare is not socialized medicine.
Back to Top

Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More.I Agree