A Facebook friend complained that if Affordable Care Act is so great, why did Congress exempt itself from the bill? This friend cited "Page 114, Line 22" of the ACA for this exemption.
Like death-panel-myth originator Betsy McCaughey, this friend's source was making stuff up. There is no such exemption on "Page 114, Line 22" of the Affordable Care Act. The law actually requires members of Congress to buy their insurance on the health insurance exchanges created by the ACA:
Here's the surprise &ndash come 2014, when the lion's share of the ACA provisions come on line, Members of Congress and their staff will be required to buy their health insurance on an exchange. In fact, their choices will be even more limited than our own. While it is expected that some 24 million people will elect to purchase their health care policy on a state run exchange, we are not required by law to do so. Members of Congress and their staff, however, must buy their insurance in this way [Rick Ungar, "Congress Exempted from ObamaCare?" Forbes, 2011.12.08].
Our Congresspeople and their staff are not only not exempt from the Affordable Care Act, but they also get fewer choices than you and I get. Ah, so maybe that is why government-assistance addict Rep. Kristi Noem is so determined to repeal the ACA.
The Congressional Research Service explains that this requirement comes from the ACA's Section 1312. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) points to Section 1312, pp. 80&ndash81 in his list of mythbusters about the ACA. I'm not making those numbers up. Honest!
Bout time they join their "Fellow Americans" in more aspects of our lives.
We will still be paying for their insurance though.
To be fair "still paying for their insurance" might be give the wrong or incomplete impression. Federal employees currently pay 30% (give or take, depending on the plan) of their health insurance premium.
So Mark, how much of their $174,000 salaries do congress members pay for health insurance? I'm struggling to find a reason to sympathize with them.
Stop struggling, Rorschach, And there's absolutely no reason for any sympathy for them, I was just clarifying D.E. Bishop's statement.
I agree with D.E.'s larger point, however, and I'd love to hear a politician rationalize this benefit they enjoy while not supporting some form of coverage for all Americans.
Members of Congress are allowed to purchase private health insurance offered through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.
A family policy that normally costs $1,120.46 per month is available to members of Congress for $356.59 per month. A policy that normally costs $629.46 per month is available to members of Congress for only $157.36 per month (See factcheck.org)
It is somewhat obvious why Congress wants to keep its current insurance instead of using the exchanges.
And, it is painfully obvious that Congress has no intention of offering any substitute health care bill.
The house and senate and every civil servant has the Same health care policies from the FEHB and even retired I pay 430. per month. Who in their right mind would want to give it up???I have had this policy with blue cross for 28 years as part of my employment and love it.