Senate Staff Gets Guidance (for Now) on Obamacare Exchanges (Dingy Harry still exempt)

Roll Call ^ | 10/15/13 | Meredith Shiner

[Libloather]

Senate staffers were notified by the Disbursing Office on Tuesday that they will need to enter the D.C. health care exchange, regardless of their state of residency, and will lose their employer contribution if they do not enter the D.C. exchange, according to a memo obtained by CQ Roll Call.

Some Washington, D.C.-based congressional staff retain their in-state residency (oftentimes to pay the lower tax rate in their home state) and all members have district staff outside Washington. The open enrollment in the D.C. exchange for most staffers who are losing their Federal Employee Health Benefits plans will be Nov. 11 to Dec. 9. There previously had been some confusion over which state exchanges staffers would enter and frustration that the smaller-than-most-states D.C. would have an exchange with fewer coverage options, even as it offers national plans.

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TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: abortion; deathpanels; exchange; exempt; obamacare; senate; zerocare

[Libloather]

Of course, the memo also warns its recipients that they “should remain attentive to further communications about the implementation of this ACA provision and not rely on this notice alone,” as there currently is a push in Congress, led by Sen. David Vitter, R-La., and again embraced Tuesday by House Republicans, to eliminate the employer contribution for Hill staff.

Its still evolving.

[kabar]

The staffers will have to leave the FEHBP--that is clear. The issue Vitter is bringing up is whether the staffers will continue to receive federal subsidies amounting to about 72% of the costs (around $12K) to reduce their costs under the exchanges. Vitter would like them to be treated like any other citizen and not a federal government employee in terms of employer contributions and government5 subsidies.

Just going into the exchanges is an earthshaking event for many of them it looks like. Especially, one administered by the DC government. LOL.

[VerySadAmerican]

We now know there is another priviledges class in DC besides politicians. In fact, I’m now convinced the elected ones are only the faces of congress. The power are the staffs. They don’t leave until they retire or become lobbyists. Even if their boss loses the election.

[11th_VA]

The power are the staffs.

may the suffer at the hands of DC healthcare ...