GOP Ramps Up Smear Campaign Against Obamacare Navigators

[DonViejo]

Source: TPM

DYLAN SCOTT – NOVEMBER 18, 2013, 6:15 AM EST

Beware anybody trying to help people sign up for health insurance under Obamacare.

That's the line from top Senate Republicans, who have magnified their smear campaign against the law's so-called navigators, groups that have received federal money to assist people in enrolling for coverage. Their latest shot: darkly warning that Americans could put their personal and financial safety at risk if they seek out assistance.

Republicans have a longstanding animosity toward the navigators -- state officials in a number of red states have put up roadblocks for them -- but the comments of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Senate Minority Whip John Cornyn (R-TX) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) are a new extreme in the party's assault on those tasked with helping Americans navigate the health reform law.

It all seems to have stemmed from a line of questioning that Cornyn posed to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Nov. 6, at a hearing that was supposed to focus on HealthCare.gov.

"Isn't it true that there is no federal requirement for navigators to undergo a criminal background, even though they will receive personal -- sensitive personal information from the individuals they helped sign up for the Affordable Care Act?" Cornyn inquired.

:::snip:::



Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/obamacare-navigators-gop-smear-campaign

[bemildred]

1. Grabbing at straws, throwing shit at the wall to see what sticks.

When they are not trying to destroy each other.

[kardonb]

24. sraws

they are soooo scared , because they know the ACA IS going to work . There are always glitches when you roll out a huge new program ,but they get ironed out in the end .

[sendero]

2. While I doubt that ..

... the navigators are going to be engaging in identity theft (many seem to be decoys for insurance companies, but that is another story), it is another glaring failure of planning that these folks are not vetted with a simple criminal background check, one I can get run for $30.

If Obama wants his "crowning achievement" to survive he is going to have to get some smarter minions.

[DonViejo]

3. Just out of curiosity, I'd like to know if you read the entire article or

just read the excerpt, above? Thanks in advance for your response.

[sendero]

4. Just the excerpt...

.. did I miss something important that should have been in the excerpt?

BTW I've also heard other news reports (NPR) on this issue.

And in case my point was not clear, if Obama didn't or doesn't understand by now that the right wing is going to do ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING they can do to take down the ACA, well why not?

If if he DOES, why is there mistake after mistake that is making their job easier?

[DonViejo]

5. "Just the excerpt;" as I suspected

Thank you for your response.

[sendero]

6. And thank you...

.. for your vacuous innuendo.

[DonViejo]

7. Very sorry you feel my response was a "vacuous innuendo."

[leftynyc]

10. I read the whole article

and there is currently no verification that the navigators have been given a background check so I'm not sure what your point to that poster is.

[MGKrebs]

11. Probably that it may not be a fed requirement, but the states

hire the navigators and can set background checks as part of the process if they want. If any state hasn't done that they should blame themselves and just fix it. I know that here in Georgia it is required.

[leftynyc]

13. Since it's a federal program

it should have federal oversight. And a criminal background check is a no brainer.

[geek tragedy]

18. How would you administer a federal background check to

"AIDS Alabama" or the Anchorage, Alaska chapter of the United Way?

[leftynyc]

20. The navigators are actual humans

No matter who they're collecting a check from, there should be a background check if they're going to be getting information like SS numbers.

[geek tragedy]

21. No, the navigators are institutions/organizations.

http://www.cms.gov/CCIIO/Resources/Fact-Sheets-and-FAQs/navigator-foa.html

And their role is educational, not data processing.

Moreover, they are doing pretty much exactly the same thing as Medicare volunteer counselors, who haven't faced this kind of bullshit from Republicans and other knee-jerk types.

http://www.politifact.com/florida/statements/2013/sep/30/bill-nelson/bill-nelson-says-florida-already-has-similar-navig/

[leftynyc]

22. I still think background checks

are essential. And that goes for all jobs. There is no reason an employer shouldn't know about a criminal background (not a credit check or anything financial, just criminal). That the pukes are making noise is nothing new but I'm not going to change my mind just because they're making noise.

[geek tragedy]

23. You're aware that volunteer medicare and medicaid counselors aren't required

by federal law to have criminal background checks, right?

[leftynyc]

25. Yes

I don't agree with that. If you had a friend get burned by something like this, you may change your mind.

[geek tragedy]

26. Funny how it was never a matter of national concern through

50 years of those programs being in existence, but it's a national crisis when it's the ACA involved.

Curious, no?

[leftynyc]

28. Believe me,

I understand your argument. Everything becomes a crisis the very moment there is a black Democrat in the White House.

[MGKrebs]

32. I think background checks are a good idea here, but

it's disingenuous (again) for repubs to be claiming it's some big flaw when in the next instant they claim too much federal involvement/oversight. I think the feds should mandate it, but the next question is, are there any states that haven't made it mandatory already?

[frylock]

12. "did you read the article" is just another way of saying "STFU"

as you've noted, there is nothing in the article to refute sendero's opinion that the administration appears to have been ill-prepared, and is half-assing Obama's "crowning achievement" by not having the foresight to predict the many issues that have arisen.

[geek tragedy]

15. So you agree with the Senate Republicans that United Way chapters should have to

force all of their members to submit to criminal background checks before serving as navigators?

http://www.cms.gov/CCIIO/Programs-and-Initiatives/Health-Insurance-Marketplaces/Downloads/navigator-list-10-18-2013.pdf

And, just to be clear, do you also agree with Rubio et al that if one member of the local United Way chapter smoked pot 5 years ago that disqualifies the entire chapter from explaining the ACA?

Those parroting Marco Rubio's talking points are the half-assers here. V

You should be proud of how Third Way you're being.

[DonViejo]

31. I speak for myself, I don't need you or any one else to speak for me or to tell others

what I am saying when I ask a question. So, speaking solely for myself; please shut up and stop being presumptuous about what I meant. Thank you in advance for abiding by my request.

[frylock]

33. did you have a point when you were speaking?

because from here it looked like you were attempting to stifle criticism of the incredibly inept rollout of ACA, as the point of the excerpted material still stands without having to read the article in its entirety.

[DonViejo]

34. Uh, what was my question again? Oh yeah! "did you read the entire article

or just the excerpt?" My point was simple, did the individual read the entire article or just the excerpt. Do I need your permission to ask a question and then go into a long winded explanation as to why I was curious to know?

[quadrature]

8. enrollment period is thru March '14

1) avoid the navigators
2) hold off until security issues become clear

[geek tragedy]

14. Thank you for parroting the Koch Brothers nt

[quadrature]

35. if you can post on DU, who needs an ACA-navigator?...nt

[starroute]

9. James O'Keefe's latest video shows navigators allegedly promoting fraud

I think that's where a lot of these Republicans are coming from. They're hoping to pull an ACORN with some faked-up footage showing a navigator allegedly advising people to lie about their income and whether they smoke or not. The playbook here is waaaay too familiar.

[SoapBox]

17. +1

[SoapBox]

16. Hmmmmm.....

Seems to be a bit on the "let's add some more negative stuff to Obaamacare", by Pukes AND many of the posters.

[geek tragedy]

19. Republicans and the "more lefty than thou" types who think just because they criticize

the ACA for the same reason that Republicans do that it makes them more principled than people defending the ACA against Republican bullshit.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

27. The usual suspects

[Gothmog]

29. O'Keefe is at it again

Why does anyone pay any attention to this fraud?

[nykym]

30. ISn't it true that

Republicans and the NRA along with pro gun groups paid signature gatherers in the Colorado Recalls $5.00 a sig and that many had felonious criminal backgrounds as well Senate Minority Whip John Cornyn (R-TX)?