[h=1]Some Reid staffers exempt from Obamacare exchanges[/h]By Chris Frates, CNN Investigative Correspondent
updated 10:19 AM EST, Wed December 4, 2013
[h=1]Obama kicks off Obamacare PR offensive[/h]
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Washington (CNN) -- Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, one of Obamacare's architects and staunchest supporters, is also the only top congressional leader to exempt some of his staff from having to buy insurance through the law's new exchanges.
Reid is the exception among the other top congressional leaders. GOP House Speaker John Boehner, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell have all directed their staffs to join the exchange, their aides said.
After website woes, President pushes benefits of Obamacare
In the charged atmosphere surrounding Obamacare, Reid's decision only gives Republicans more ammo to attack Democrats already suffering politically from the law's botched rollout.
In September, Reid told reporters, "Let's stop these really juvenile political games -- the one dealing with health care for senators and House members and our staff. We are going to be part of exchanges, that's what the law says and we'll be part of that."
What did W.H. know before the launch?
Reselling the Affordable Care Act
Bill Clinton on Obamacare Progress
With website deadline met, Obamacare scrutiny increases
That's true. Reid and his personal staff will buy insurance through the exchange.
But it's also true that the law lets lawmakers decide if their committee and leadership staffers hold on to their federal employee insurance plans, an option Reid has exercised.
Reid spokesman Adam Jentleson emphasized, "We are just following the law."
Insurers still reporting errors on Obamacare applications
But Republicans are already taking aim.
"I'm sure that regular Americans who just lost their insurance will feel comforted to know that Senator Reid's staff gets to keep their government plan," a senior GOP Senate aide said.
Former Reid staffer Jim Manley defended his old boss, arguing that "the only people hypocritical here are Republicans, who made this an issue in the first place."
And all four House and Senate leaders are required to relinquish their federal employee insurance plans next year and are choosing to enroll in the exchanges.
updated 10:19 AM EST, Wed December 4, 2013
[h=1]Obama kicks off Obamacare PR offensive[/h]
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Other congressional leaders have instructed their staffs to enroll
- In September, Reid said, "We are going to be part of exchanges"
- Law lets lawmakers decide if committee and leadership staffers keep federal employee insurance
Washington (CNN) -- Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, one of Obamacare's architects and staunchest supporters, is also the only top congressional leader to exempt some of his staff from having to buy insurance through the law's new exchanges.
Reid is the exception among the other top congressional leaders. GOP House Speaker John Boehner, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell have all directed their staffs to join the exchange, their aides said.
After website woes, President pushes benefits of Obamacare
In the charged atmosphere surrounding Obamacare, Reid's decision only gives Republicans more ammo to attack Democrats already suffering politically from the law's botched rollout.
In September, Reid told reporters, "Let's stop these really juvenile political games -- the one dealing with health care for senators and House members and our staff. We are going to be part of exchanges, that's what the law says and we'll be part of that."
With website deadline met, Obamacare scrutiny increases
That's true. Reid and his personal staff will buy insurance through the exchange.
But it's also true that the law lets lawmakers decide if their committee and leadership staffers hold on to their federal employee insurance plans, an option Reid has exercised.
Reid spokesman Adam Jentleson emphasized, "We are just following the law."
Insurers still reporting errors on Obamacare applications
But Republicans are already taking aim.
"I'm sure that regular Americans who just lost their insurance will feel comforted to know that Senator Reid's staff gets to keep their government plan," a senior GOP Senate aide said.
Former Reid staffer Jim Manley defended his old boss, arguing that "the only people hypocritical here are Republicans, who made this an issue in the first place."
And all four House and Senate leaders are required to relinquish their federal employee insurance plans next year and are choosing to enroll in the exchanges.
[h=1]Poll: 52% of Young Adults Want Obama Recalled, 57% Oppose ObamaCare[/h]
265
5
402
1
Email Article Print article Send a Tip
by John Nolte 4 Dec 2013, 7:42 AM PDT 1198 post a comment
[h=2]A stunning new poll of young adults aged 18 to 29 shows that in large numbers, they have turned against President Obama and ObamaCare.[/h] Among the youngest in this group, those aged 18-24, a full 52% support a recall effort that would throw Obama out of office. The number is only a little better among 18-29 year-olds, 47%. Individual members of Congress actually fare a little better with 45% of Millennials favoring a recall. A majority do, however, favor recalling Congress as a whole.
Since his reelection, Obama's overall approval with young adults has plummeted 11 points to just 41%; which puts it in line with the rest of the country.
ObamaCare is even less popular with this group. Fifty-seven percent disapprove of ObamaCare, with only 38% approving.
The number that undoubtedly strikes fear in the hearts of ObamaCare supporters is that only 29% of Millennials currently without health insurance intend to sign up for ObamaCare. Of that group, only 10% said they definitely would. Without this specific group of the young and healthy signing up in droves, ObamaCare simply isn’t financially viable.
Unlike the mainstream media, a majority of Millennials are able to see through the scam that is ObamaCare. Only 18% think it will improve healthcare, while 40% believe healthcare will worsen. A majority of 51% have figured out that ObamaCare will increase the cost of insurance. Only 34% believe the opposite.
265
5
402
1
Email Article Print article Send a Tip
by John Nolte 4 Dec 2013, 7:42 AM PDT 1198 post a comment
[h=2]A stunning new poll of young adults aged 18 to 29 shows that in large numbers, they have turned against President Obama and ObamaCare.[/h] Among the youngest in this group, those aged 18-24, a full 52% support a recall effort that would throw Obama out of office. The number is only a little better among 18-29 year-olds, 47%. Individual members of Congress actually fare a little better with 45% of Millennials favoring a recall. A majority do, however, favor recalling Congress as a whole.
Since his reelection, Obama's overall approval with young adults has plummeted 11 points to just 41%; which puts it in line with the rest of the country.
ObamaCare is even less popular with this group. Fifty-seven percent disapprove of ObamaCare, with only 38% approving.
The number that undoubtedly strikes fear in the hearts of ObamaCare supporters is that only 29% of Millennials currently without health insurance intend to sign up for ObamaCare. Of that group, only 10% said they definitely would. Without this specific group of the young and healthy signing up in droves, ObamaCare simply isn’t financially viable.
Unlike the mainstream media, a majority of Millennials are able to see through the scam that is ObamaCare. Only 18% think it will improve healthcare, while 40% believe healthcare will worsen. A majority of 51% have figured out that ObamaCare will increase the cost of insurance. Only 34% believe the opposite.
[h=1]Aide to drunk driving-friendly House Democrat kills woman in drunk driving accident[/h]
Tim Cavanaugh
Executive Editor
Raymond Victor Morua, a district representative for Democratic Rep. Lois Capps of Santa Barbara, hit and mortally injured 27-year-old Mallory Rae Dies late last week. After fleeing the scene, Morua hit a palm tree and blew a .17 percent alcohol level — twice the legal limit. Morua continued driving and was followed by witnesses who implored him to return to the scene of the crash.
After lingering for five days, Dies was taken off life support and died Wednesday afternoon. Morua has been charged with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and leaving the scene of an accident that resulted in death, Santa Barbara officials told Noozhawk.com, a local news site in the American Riviera.
Capps finally fired Morua after he was arrested in the horrific accident.
Capps hired Morua in October 2011 despite an extensive criminal record from Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, which included previous DUI convictions, a hit-and-run charge from 2006, and embezzlement charges.
Morua had been convicted of grand theft by embezzlement, a misdemeanor, against the Goleta K-Mart in March 2011. Capps hired him first as a constituent liaison in October 2011 and then promoted him to district representative in November 2012.
Ironically, Lois Capps’s now deceased husband Walter won his first election to Congress at least partially due to a sympathy vote after Walter and Lois Capps were hit head on by a drunk driver in 1996.
“Sympathy from the accident and Capps’ slow, painful recovery from numerous fractures and internal injuries have injected an unusual note into one of California’s most closely watched House races, featuring two polar opposites locked in a rematch of a 1994 race that almost ended in a dead heat,” wrote the San Francisco Chronicle at the time. The paper said Walter Capps “benefited from a steady stream of local media coverage that any politician would envy.”
Tim Cavanaugh
Executive Editor
Raymond Victor Morua, a district representative for Democratic Rep. Lois Capps of Santa Barbara, hit and mortally injured 27-year-old Mallory Rae Dies late last week. After fleeing the scene, Morua hit a palm tree and blew a .17 percent alcohol level — twice the legal limit. Morua continued driving and was followed by witnesses who implored him to return to the scene of the crash.
After lingering for five days, Dies was taken off life support and died Wednesday afternoon. Morua has been charged with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and leaving the scene of an accident that resulted in death, Santa Barbara officials told Noozhawk.com, a local news site in the American Riviera.
Capps finally fired Morua after he was arrested in the horrific accident.
Capps hired Morua in October 2011 despite an extensive criminal record from Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, which included previous DUI convictions, a hit-and-run charge from 2006, and embezzlement charges.
Morua had been convicted of grand theft by embezzlement, a misdemeanor, against the Goleta K-Mart in March 2011. Capps hired him first as a constituent liaison in October 2011 and then promoted him to district representative in November 2012.
Ironically, Lois Capps’s now deceased husband Walter won his first election to Congress at least partially due to a sympathy vote after Walter and Lois Capps were hit head on by a drunk driver in 1996.
“Sympathy from the accident and Capps’ slow, painful recovery from numerous fractures and internal injuries have injected an unusual note into one of California’s most closely watched House races, featuring two polar opposites locked in a rematch of a 1994 race that almost ended in a dead heat,” wrote the San Francisco Chronicle at the time. The paper said Walter Capps “benefited from a steady stream of local media coverage that any politician would envy.”
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politic...ubsidy/2156529
One of Obamacare's biggest critics is now officially covered under the federal health care exchange: Sen. Marco Rubio.
"Senator Rubio spent time looking at all the options and decided to enroll through the D.C. exchange for coverage for him and his family," spokeswoman Brooke Sammon told the Tampa Bay Times.
Rubio, a father of four, also took the federal subsidy afforded to lawmakers and staff — a perk worth up to 75 percent of monthly premium costs — that some Republicans wanted to kill off. Even some lawmakers who have enrolled in the exchange have rejected the taxpayer-funded employer contribution.
Sammon did not say what led Rubio to decide the health care plan was better than what he could have gotten on his own, and Rubio could not be reached Tuesday. But those who wanted to keep their employer coverage — and that generous subsidy — were directed to use the exchange, called DC Health Link.
In addition to the subsidy, Rubio and other federal employees got to pick from far more plans than ordinary people and had access to special customer service to ease their sign ups.
"Senator Rubio is following the law, even though he opposes it," Sammon said.
That Rubio even had to switch from the existing federal plan to the exchange is thanks to Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, who amended the Affordable Care Act to require members of Congress and staff join the exchange. It was viewed as a way to needle Democrats, but Democrats accepted the change.
As the law headed toward implementation, however, there was a question about the employer contribution, fears growing among Hill staffers who were facing big increases. The Obama administration stepped in and said it would continue the benefit. That saved Rubio and his family a lot, no doubt.
Rubio could not have looked at options under a Florida exchange because the state refused to set one up.
Sen. Bill Nelson bought his policy on the exchange last week and will also have Medicare Part A, a spokesman said.
One of Obamacare's biggest critics is now officially covered under the federal health care exchange: Sen. Marco Rubio.
"Senator Rubio spent time looking at all the options and decided to enroll through the D.C. exchange for coverage for him and his family," spokeswoman Brooke Sammon told the Tampa Bay Times.
Rubio, a father of four, also took the federal subsidy afforded to lawmakers and staff — a perk worth up to 75 percent of monthly premium costs — that some Republicans wanted to kill off. Even some lawmakers who have enrolled in the exchange have rejected the taxpayer-funded employer contribution.
Sammon did not say what led Rubio to decide the health care plan was better than what he could have gotten on his own, and Rubio could not be reached Tuesday. But those who wanted to keep their employer coverage — and that generous subsidy — were directed to use the exchange, called DC Health Link.
In addition to the subsidy, Rubio and other federal employees got to pick from far more plans than ordinary people and had access to special customer service to ease their sign ups.
"Senator Rubio is following the law, even though he opposes it," Sammon said.
That Rubio even had to switch from the existing federal plan to the exchange is thanks to Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, who amended the Affordable Care Act to require members of Congress and staff join the exchange. It was viewed as a way to needle Democrats, but Democrats accepted the change.
As the law headed toward implementation, however, there was a question about the employer contribution, fears growing among Hill staffers who were facing big increases. The Obama administration stepped in and said it would continue the benefit. That saved Rubio and his family a lot, no doubt.
Rubio could not have looked at options under a Florida exchange because the state refused to set one up.
Sen. Bill Nelson bought his policy on the exchange last week and will also have Medicare Part A, a spokesman said.
