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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsLawmakers, aides may get "Obamacare" exemption
Congressional leaders in both parties are engaged in high-level, confidential talks about exempting lawmakers and Capitol Hill aides from the insurance exchanges they are mandated to join as part of President Barack Obamas health care overhaul, sources in both parties said.
The talks which involve Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), the Obama administration and other top lawmakers are extraordinarily sensitive, with both sides acutely aware of the potential for political fallout from giving carve-outs from the hugely controversial law to 535 lawmakers and thousands of their aides. Discussions have stretched out for months, sources said.
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/04/obamacare-exemption-lawmakers-aides-90610.html
The headline uses "Obamacare", I just added the parenthesis...
Bonhomme Richard
(8,992 posts)Who says that Washington doesn't work. Sure it does if it is their interest at stake.
They really, really are Asshats.
deutsey
(20,166 posts)Nuclear Unicorn
(19,497 posts)Pelican
(1,156 posts)Newest Reality
(12,712 posts)huge choco-rations and access to cases of Victory Gin unlike the rest of us.
I'm proud to see America #1 doing so extremely well so that we, in America #2 can be safely decrepit and confidently ill.
An Illustration:
The Straight Story
(48,121 posts)Seeking Serenity
(2,838 posts)Like when they exempt themselves from all sorts of labor laws and other laws everyone else has to obey.
I'm speechless.
The Straight Story
(48,121 posts)And allowed for smoking rooms inside the state house for employees.
riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)ProSense
(116,464 posts)Posted by Ezra Klein
Theres a Politico story making the rounds that says that members of Congress are engaged in secret, sensitive negotiations to exempt themselves and their staffs from Obamacare.
Well, they were secret, anyway.
<...>
The story has blown up on Twitter. Unbelievable, tweets TPMs Brian Beutler. Flat out incredible, says Politicos Ben White. Obamacare for thee, but not for me, snarks Ben Domenech. Two thumbs way, way down, says Richard Roeper. (Okay, I made the last one up).
If this sounds unbelievable, its because it is. Theres no effort to exempt Congress from Obamacare. No matter how this shakes out, Congress will have to follow the law, just like everyone else does.
Based on conversations Ive had with a number of the staffs involved in these talks, the actual issue here is far less interesting, and far less explosive, than an exemption. Rather, a Republican amendment meant to embarrass Democrats and a too-clever-by-half Democratic response has possibly created a problem in which the federal government cant make its normal contribution to the insurance premiums of congressional staffers.
- more -
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/04/25/no-congress-isnt-trying-to-exempt-itself-from-obamacare/
This close to full implementation of the law, the bullshit stories driven by Republicans and anti-health care forces are to be expected and the level of desperation of the opposition is clearly increasing.
Most Congressional aides, given the low salaries are going to qualify for Medicaid or huge subsidies.
riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)Why?
Exemptions and carve-outs have been occurring since the ACA was first passed. "Big" employers (and the government is the biggest I'd agree) have been doing this for the past couple years on other issues - why shouldn't the government do it since it "solves" this problem (and conveeeeeniently gets them out of the exchanges).
If there'd been no well-established history of exemptions and carve-outs for big corporations, I'd think maybe Ezra and his anonymous sources more credible.
Rex
(65,616 posts)They are scared to death of big corporations imo.
riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)requirements.
Whose the biggest employer of them all?
The government. Voila! Gotta have the carve-outs and exemptions too.