2013
What do you think of the following letter? This union is protesting an effort to force its members out of their employer-provided health benefits (in this case the Federal Government) and instead require them to obtain insurance through a health insurance exchange.
Let me give you my opinion. First, the effort by Congressman Camp is pure political nonsense and we all know it. Obamacare is designed, for now, to provide coverage through exchanges only to small employers, very small, and to individuals who do not have employer-based coverage (or other coverage) offered on an “affordable” basis – essentially at a cost no more than 9.5% of household income, assuming we consider that actually affordable.
What is the issue here (aside from trying to scare people and mislead on Obamacare)? It’s mostly the employer contribution. Federal employees pay on average 25% of the cost of coverage. Naturally they want to keep that 75% subsidy as does every working American with employer-based coverage. Remember the flap over members of Congress and their staffs?
Opponents of Obamacare like to couch these issues as if there is some plan out there offering inferior health care and health insurance under Obamacare. In reality, the insurance companies offered in the exchanges are the same ones in the private sector market today. It is true that some employer plans offer benefits you may not find elsewhere, but Obamacare has narrowed that gap with its mandates.
In this case the union is right to fight this move, a politically motivated, misleading effort to make the Affordable Care Act into something it’s not … at least not now. And even if you think this is right, imagine the great increase in subsidies that would be generated by shifting a million more people into the exchanges. I’m guessing that if you have employer-based coverage, you want to keep it.
National Treasury Employees Union model letter sent to its members to direct at Members of Congress
I am a federal employee and one of your constituents. I am very concerned about legislation that has been introduced by Congressman Dave Camp to push federal employees out of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) and into the insurance exchanges established under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
H.R. 1780 would put federal employees in a special class where they would be prohibited from receiving health insurance through their employer. It would treat federal employees differently from state and local government employees and most employees of large private sector companies who receive health insurance benefits through their employer. The primary purpose of the Affordable Care Act was to provide a marketplace for the sale and purchase of health insurance for those who do not have such coverage – not to take coverage away from employees who already receive it through their employers.
I work hard and am proud of the services that I provide to your constituents every day. One of the main benefits I receive as a federal employee is the ability to purchase health insurance coverage through the FEHBP with an employer contribution towards those benefits. Please let me know your views on this legislation.
I look forward to hearing back from you.
Related articles
- A health insurance exchange is coming at you – even if you have employer coverage (quinnscommentary.com)
- No, Congress is not exempt from Obamacare (pullingtotheleft.wordpress.com)
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