WASHINGTON - Sen. David Vitter, R-La., is joining forces with a Wyoming GOP colleague to offer legislation that would require all members of Congress, the president, vice president and executive branch political appointees to purchase health insurance from the Affordable Care Act's exchanges without the taxpayer subsidies they now receive. Congressional staffers would continue to get subsidies to purchase...
WASHINGTON - Sen. David Vitter, R-La., is joining forces with a Wyoming GOP colleague to offer legislation that would require all members of Congress, the president, vice president and executive branch political appointees to purchase health insurance from the Affordable Care Act's exchanges without the taxpayer subsidies they now receive.
Congressional staffers would continue to get subsidies to purchase health insurance, but wouldn't be able to get any more financial aid then they would if not employed by Congress.
The bill, which Vitter and Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., plan to introduce in September, is in response to a White House announcement that members of Congress and staff would be required to get insurance from exchanges, as written into the Affordable Care Act by a GOP senator, but would continue to get their current federal subsidies for health care. Top administration officials, and congressional leadership were not included in the requirement to purchase coverage from exchanges, but would be required to go that route under the Vitter-Enzi legislation.
"These recent maneuverings inside the beltway are precisely why the American people rightly despise Congress, 'Vitter said Tuesday. "Our legislation gets right to the core of the Office of Personnel and Management fix for Washington. Some of our colleagues may try some slick maneuver to avoid political backlash by allowing members to hide their exemption from the public, but our amendment is clear."
Vitter had said earlier that congressional members, both Democrat and Republican, had sought to pressure the White House to continue insurance subsidies.
While few members are speaking publicly about the issue, some are saying privately that Vitter and Enzi are creating a fake issue.
Their argument is that the federal government, many state and local governments, as well as large employers, will continue to provide insurance, with significant subsidies, without requiring their workers to go the exchanges being created by the Affordable Care Act. The exchanges were intended for people without insurance, or those underinsured or with lousy coverage, to purchase insurance and qualify for subsidies - if they meet income requirements.
The exchanges, or internet marketplaces, are to begin offering insurance on Oct. 1, effective in 2014.
But Enzi said the American people feel that some in government are getting a better deal than they are.
"If ObamaCare is good enough for the American people, it should be good enough for Congress, the president and vice president, and other policy makers in Washington," Enzi said.
Vitter and Enzi didn't say in their news release whether they currently receive federal health coverage, though the vast majority of members participate in the federal health insurance system.
Separately, Enzi and Vitter are joining other Republicans in trying to repeal or defund the Affordable Care Act, which seeks to provide health coverage to uninsured Americans.