Republicans Attack Obama For Not Implementing Health Care Reform Quickly Enough

[Freeper]

ProSense (100,611 posts)

Republicans Attack Obama For Not Implementing Health Care Reform Quickly Enough


 
Republicans Attack Obama For Not Implementing Health Care Reform Quickly Enough

By Igor Volsky

Republicans’ response to the Department of Treasury’s announcement that it would delay enactment of the Affordable Care Act’s employer responsibility provision has put the party in the awkward position of attacking the administration for considering the objections and concerns of the business community and not proceeding with implementation quickly enough. This comes after years of Congressional maneuvers to defund the law and repeal it.

While administration officials argue that they’re postponing the provision — which requires employers with more than 50 employees to pay a fine if they don’t offer affordable quality coverage — to allow businesses more time to comply with the law and promise to “convene employers, insurers, and experts to propose a smarter system” for 2015, Republicans caution that the decision spells disaster.

<...>

Objecting to a voluntary slowdown is unusual sentiment from men who accuse the administration of raming through a one-size-fits-all law before anyone has had a chance to read it — and it ignores the government’s past experiences with implementing complex legislation.

Consider the Bush administration’s performance in implementing the 2003 Medicare Modernization Act, the law which established the Medicare Part D prescription drug program. Republicans not only rammed the legislation through Congress, they ignored warnings about the complexities of the new system and installed the law without adequately educating seniors or pharmacists. What resulted was the very “train wreck” that the GOP is now predicting for Obamacare: tens of thousands of low-income seniors discovered that medications they had been taking for years were no longer covered, many went without needed prescriptions or paid high out-of pocket fees, and 36 states were forced to “provide emergency payments to frail citizens.

<...>

UPDATE

The House Energy and Commerce Committee has launched an investigation into the delay and is seeking information about the conversations the Department has had with businesses: “As the Treasury Department statement makes clear, the administration has been ‘engaging in a dialogue with businesses’ and is pursuing changes in the law’s implementation and requirements based on their feedback. We note that these communications and the decision-making process related to the delay of certain aspects of the law have not been disclosed publicly. The acknowledgement that a delay in the law’s implementation is needed is completely at odds with previous statements made by administration officials.”

http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/07/03/2253781/republicans-attack-obama-for-not-implementing-health-care-reform-quickly-enough/

Hilarious!

Why anyone would expect this to be a flawless process is beyond me.

Krugman:

No doubt there will be problems, as there are with any large new government initiative, and in this case, we have the added complication that many Republican governors and legislators are doing all they can to sabotage reform.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022907399

Krugman: Obamacare Will Be A Debacle — For Republicans
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022896115

Medicaid launched in 1966, but Arizona resisted the program until 1982.

<...>

Medicaid got a chilly reception when it launched in January 1966. It was up to the states to decide whether to participate and only six initially signed up: Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania. Twenty-seven followed suit later that year. Across the country, governors weighed the boon of new federal dollars — Washington would foot half of Medicaid’s bill — against the drawback of putting state money into a new program.

Nascent Medicaid programs quickly faced threats: Republican legislators in the New York introduced a bill in 1967 calling for the state to “live within its means” and repeal its Medicaid program.

<...>

Over time, however, the lure of federal dollars proved strong enough to win over resistant states. Eleven joined the program in 1967. Another wave of eight, largely Southern states came on board in 1970. Arizona proved the last holdout, not joining Medicaid until 1982.

- more -

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/wp/2012/07/09/six-governors-say-they-will-opt-out-of-medicaid-how-long-will-they-hold-out/


From the WH:

First, we are cutting red tape and simplifying the reporting process. We have heard the concern that the reporting called for under the law about each worker’s access to and enrollment in health insurance requires new data collection systems and coordination. So we plan to re-vamp and simplify the reporting process. Some of this detailed reporting may be unnecessary for businesses that more than meet the minimum standards in the law. We will convene employers, insurers, and experts to propose a smarter system and, in the interim, suspend reporting for 2014.

Second, we are giving businesses more time to comply. As we make these changes, we believe we need to give employers more time to comply with the new rules. Since employer responsibility payments can only be assessed based on this new reporting, payments won’t be collected for 2014. This allows employers the time to test the new reporting systems and make any necessary adaptations to their health benefits while staying the course toward making health coverage more affordable and accessible for their workers.

Just like our effort to turn the 21 page application for health insurance into a 3 page application, we are working hard to adapt and to be flexible in employer and insurer reporting as we implement the law.

Meanwhile, here is a quick review of what small and big businesses need to know about the health law and how it will work:

If you are a small business with less than 50 workers, the law’s employer shared responsibility policies does not apply to you. Instead, you will gain access to the Small Business Health Options Program that gives you the purchasing power of large businesses. In fact, you may be eligible for a tax credit that covers up to half the cost of insurance if you offer quality coverage to your employees

If you own a business with more than 50 workers that already offers full-time workers affordable, quality coverage, you are fine – we’ll work with you to keep that coverage affordable.

And if you are a company with more than 50 employees but choose not to offer quality affordable coverage, we have provided as much flexibility and transition time as possible for you to move to providing affordable, quality coverage to your workers.
We are full steam ahead for the Marketplaces opening on October 1. For more information on what is coming check out: HealthCare.gov

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/07/02/we-re-listening-businesses-about-health-care-law

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023160767

Once again the idiots on the left miss the point. 0bama is delaying it because it is so horrible that if it was implemented before midterms it could even make the low information voters not vote for the democrats.

msongs (31,006 posts)
1. he is dismantling his own health care "reform" so why are they worried lol nt

He is dismantling the country, that is what worries us.

[thundley4]

Hey DUmmies.  Businesses don't have to offer insurance to their workers, but those workers still have to prove to the IRS that they have insurance or they have to pay a fine.  Only the requirement for businesses has been delayed, not the personal mandate.   Once again Obama is giving his corporate overlords a pass and forcing the worker to pay for it.

 

 

[obumazombie]

Bobby Jindal tweeted that owebuma was having a bad day. He's cornered the market on them lately.

[Delmar]

Response to louis c (Original post)Sat Nov 17, 2012, 10:37 AM
 MjolnirTime (1,544 posts)
8. Obamacare is the Law of the Land. I suggest you get used to it.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021837313

I just included one post from a DUmmy telling us that Obamacare is the law of the land--I'm sure that there are hundreds of examples.  The democrat party stuck us with this piece of crap.  They didn't take the time to read it before they passed it, they told us that finding out what was in it could wait until after it was passed.  But now it's the law of the land and the law says that the employer mandate kicks in in January of 2014.  Own it, you pack of crooked lying SOB's.

 

 

[vlad335]

Hey DUmmies.  Businesses don't have to offer insurance to their workers, but those workers still have to prove to the IRS that they have insurance or they have to pay a fine.  Only the requirement for businesses has been delayed, not the personal mandate.   Once again Obama is giving his corporate overlords a pass and forcing the worker to pay for it.

 

 

Agreed. The DUmmies and the low infos I speak to do not have a clue of what was just done to them. They are still responsible to have insurance.

Another aspect of giving small businesses some more time is prices for everything will not necessarily skyrocket before the midterms. That consequence will be palpable and devastating to any party seen as connected to this monstrosity.

[jukin]

Here is a simple geometry (for lurkers that is basic math) proof:

1. Not being able to implement you own law = FAIL.
2. Saying you are a super smart 11th level chess player by not implementing your own law = FAIL.
3. 0bama = FAIL.

I invite any DUchebag with an IQ over 70 to debate me on this.

Yes I know that eliminate 98% of them but what the hell.

[FiddyBeowulf]

The irony of the Dummies being on the side of big business is lost on them. What is next, defending big oil, being pro-life, taking baths...

[obumazombie]

The irony of the Dummies being on the side of big business is lost on them. What is next, defending big oil, being pro-life, taking baths...

Is one missing ?

[GOBUCKS]

0bama is delaying it because it is so horrible that if it was implemented before midterms it could even make the low information voters not vote for the democrats.

Look at the bright side.

Millions of low-paid, unskilled, easily replaced 0bamaites got their hours cut a year before it was necessary.

I hope they starve.

[Ptarmigan]

Last week, they were celebrating gay marriage ruling. This week Obamacare has been scaled back and Mohamed Morsi has been overthrown.

[miskie]

So, the onus is now on the person to pony up for insurance, and not on the business for another year.  

Also, the businesses have another year to decide to stop offering insurance altogether and kick more of their employees to the exchanges.

Finally, the original plan had the businesses putting the lion's share into Obamacare. Where do the primitives think the extra money is going to come from in lieu of the businesses during the first year?

- I think Obama may have nth level chessed himself into checkmate.


*Warning -slightly conspiratorial miskie musings ahead..

There are times I think Obama wasn't supposed to win this last election, so that the "Botched Obamacare roll-out"could be laid at the Republican President's feet, which could have resulted in massive midterm gains for the Democrats. Instead Obama won, and now the Democrats are about to pay for the plan they didn't read before passing - the plan that Republicans have nothing to do with as trumpeted daily by Pelosi & Co.

If there was a Republican president, he would serve as a scapegoat until the Democrat controlled house had the opportunity to 'fix' the plan they didn't read, while blaming the Rethug President for screwing up Obama's Legacy on a daily basis.

[98ZJUSMC]

Hey DUmmies.  Businesses don't have to offer insurance to their workers, but those workers still have to prove to the IRS that they have insurance or they have to pay a fine.  Only the requirement for businesses has been delayed, not the personal mandate.   Once again Obama is giving his corporate overlords a pass and forcing the worker to pay for it.

 

 

Why do Democrats hate the poor?

There are times I think Obama wasn't supposed to win this last election, so that the "Botched Obamacare roll-out"could be laid at the Republican President's feet, which could have resulted in massive midterm gains for the Democrats. Instead Obama won, and now the Democrats are about to pay for the plan they didn't read before passing - the plan that Republicans have nothing to do with as trumpeted daily by Pelosi & Co.

If there was a Republican president, he would serve as a scapegoat until the Democrat controlled house had the opportunity to 'fix' the plan they didn't read, while blaming the Rethug President for screwing up Obama's Legacy on a daily basis.

A little wild, but it wouldn't surprise me, in the least.  It would seem, from that thread yesterday, that the DNC operatives inhabiting Skins' Kindergarten are trying to do that.

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

*Warning -slightly conspiratorial miskie musings ahead..

There are times I think Obama wasn't supposed to win this last election, so that the "Botched Obamacare roll-out"could be laid at the Republican President's feet, which could have resulted in massive midterm gains for the Democrats. Instead Obama won, and now the Democrats are about to pay for the plan they didn't read before passing - the plan that Republicans have nothing to do with as trumpeted daily by Pelosi & Co.

If there was a Republican president, he would serve as a scapegoat until the Democrat controlled house had the opportunity to 'fix' the plan they didn't read, while blaming the Rethug President for screwing up Obama's Legacy on a daily basis.

I don't know if that was their thought in 2012. I think they honestly believed they could hook enough people on ObamaCoup that they figured they'd have an unbreakable electoral bloc for decades but I've no doubt in my mind that they will attempt to throw Obama under the bus and/or blame the GOP in some way to save their own skins.

[biersmythe]

I don't know if that was their thought in 2012. I think they honestly believed they could hook enough people on ObamaCoup that they figured they'd have an unbreakable electoral bloc for decades but I've no doubt in my mind that they will attempt to throw Obama under the bus and/or blame the GOP in some way to save their own skins.

Have you heard any of the talk show radio lately.. they are already blaming the repubicans (misspell intentional) for this and that...lol none voted for the trash. hope they get what they deserve (demerats). I know it is to much to hope for that the peeps of this uneducated / uncaring  country actually open their eyes but if they don't soon they will soon find a irrecoverable republic at their feet. i for one will be upset, but wont stand for it. 

[obumazombie]

Demonrats, If I had a choice between seeing them all hang together...

[NHSparky]

Dear DUchebags:

Keeping this turd of a law in the box an extra year isn't going to make it stink any less when you eventually open the box.

Own it, tards.

[diesel driver]

Is one missing ?

Yes, and you can't have it!  

Demonrats, If I had a choice between seeing them all hang together...

Good choice.   

[diesel driver]

Dear DUchebags:

Keeping this turd of a law in the box an extra year isn't going to make it stink any less when you eventually open the box.

Own it, tards.

This AHA is one, big, steaming turd.

Pelosi and Company have been trying to gold plate and polish this turd for the last 4 years.

In the end, despite their attempts to make it shine, it's still a turd.

[Zathras]

Here is a simple geometry (for lurkers that is basic math) proof:

1. Not being able to implement you own law = FAIL.
2. Saying you are a super smart 11th level chess player by not implementing your own law = FAIL.
3. 0bama = FAIL.

I invite any DUchebag with an IQ over 70 to debate me on this.

Yes I know that eliminate 98% of them but what the hell.

The other 2% wont debate you because they're gutless cowards who will not leave the safety of the hive to debate anyone.