Let’s get Congress and staffers into the individual Obamacare market

Originally, the Affordable Care Act had a provision (the Grassley Amendment) that would put members of Congress into the federal health care exchanges. Grassley’s intent was for member to keep their employer coverage provided by the federal government, but require they choose from the same choices others have on the exchanges. That got screwed up and there was some back-and-forth, but I have an idea…

Like most employers, the federal government pays a portion of the health insurance premiums for employees. I’m not sure of the exact number, but let’s say the federal government pays 70 percent of the employees health insurance costs. The balance is paid by the employee, the member in Congress.

Let’s go back and look at how much the federal government contributed for plans in 2013. As an example, let’s say the average health care premium for a member of Congress was $20,000 for the year. The employee pays $6,000 and the government (employer) pays $14,000.

Here is my idea. Let’s give the Congress-critters, the staff, the Executive Branch employees and heck, maybe everyone else who works for the federal government a raise on Jan. 1, 2014 equal to whatever the federal government paid towards health care premiums in 2013. In my example above, that was $14,000.

Then, tell them to buy health care insurance in the individual market place, based on their state of residence. Send them to the healthcare.gov website or their state’s health care website and let them shop and buy a policy like all of the other people who are doing that right now. In no way does this mean they loose the employer contribution to their health care plan for the simple fact they received a raise for the exact amount of the premium covered in 2012. They will continue to get that additional money, and will continue to receive merit or performance raises in the future as normal.

This shouldn’t be a problem at all …

  • They keep telling us there are good options out there that provide better coverage than before. The exchanges are great, the choices are great, doctors love it.
  • President Obama himself stated people would save $2,500 on health insurance premiums, so they can figure they would have an extra $2,500 in their pockets right? (OK, maybe this would be offset by the extra income taxes they would have to pay for the higher salary.)
  • Congress-critters and federal employees don’t loose a thing, since they are fully subsidized through a direct raise in their income.

The idea I just proposed should have been, could have been a great amendment. Certainly, nobody in Congress would have a problem with my plan . Would they?

Well of course they would, since the premium increases from 2013 to 2014 are HUGE, even though Obama kept telling people their families premiums would be $2,500 lower. Look, the options suck, the premiums are high, the deductibles equal the price of some new cars, you have to buy coverage you don’t want or need, and there is a good chance your doctor won’t want to be involved so you’ll have to find a new one … that’s if you’re actually able to sign up.

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Steve McGough

Steve's a part-time conservative blogger. Steve grew up in Connecticut and has lived in Washington, D.C. and the Bahamas. He resides in Connecticut, where he’s comfortable six months of the year.

9 Comments

  1. Gary J on October 30, 2013 at 7:48 pm

    Amen



  2. Lynn on October 30, 2013 at 8:33 pm

    Well, I’ve just tweeted this to Rep Joe Courtney, am waiting to hear. While I’m waiting, I sold individual health insurance policies, I know first hand the pain when people were denied coverage for pre-existing conditions. ?I was glad that Obamacare would help my former clients, however the rest of this obamination won’t help them. The only way we will get true healthcare reform is for Congress to feel the pain. I’m all for making Congress feel this pain! If it is good for the goose it is good for the gander.



  3. cranky yankee on October 31, 2013 at 9:01 am

    That’s an excellent idea, I did see a couple of ?anarchist Republican Congressman along with their staffs are going into the exchanges ?to purchase their insurance. I wonder if they will get arrested since according to Sebelious that would be illegal because they already have employer funded insurance paid by taxpayers.



  4. Dimsdale on October 31, 2013 at 11:34 am

    Works for me!? Until they are in the quagmire of their own making, they will have no real incentive to fix it.?? No “skin in the game” as Jim would say.



  5. sammy22 on October 31, 2013 at 12:39 pm

    Jim gets it!



  6. bien-pensant on October 31, 2013 at 3:39 pm

    Send ’em a cancellation notice first. Let them experience that sinking feeling when you get open that letter from “your” company and are notified you no longer have health insurance.
    ?
    A comparison could be someone telling me how hot or cold the bath water is when he/she don’t even bathe.
    ?



  7. SeeingRed on November 1, 2013 at 9:14 am

    Another straight forward, simple campaign message.? Along with ‘I’ll repeal Obamacare’ and I’ll vote for reduced Gubmint spending, we have a winner.



  8. Dimsdale on November 1, 2013 at 9:17 am

    Of course, much like Sebelius, they will falsely state that it is illegal for them to do so, continuing to pee on our legs and tell us it’s rain….



    • bien-pensant on November 1, 2013 at 10:09 am

      Judge Judy! Adapted from the Bard, Shakespeare, himself.
      ?
      Well played!



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