"I'm here - the cavalry has arrived...DOH!"
Posted on 11/15/2013 8:54:17 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
WALTHAM - U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, on Friday defended President Barack Obama’s decision to allow health insurers to issue plans for one more year that do not meet the standards set out by the Affordable Care Act, as a transitional move.
“What the president’s done is said no one for a year, no insurance company, needs to cancel its coverage because of the Affordable Care Act,” Warren said, speaking to reporters after an Associated Industries of Massachusetts breakfast at the Westin Hotel in Waltham. “They’re trying to make the transition work. They’re trying to do everything they can to make it work and get people into the system.”
However, asked whether individuals should be able to keep their current insurance plans indefinitely if they do not meet the minimum standards laid out by the Affordable Care Act, Warren did not say yes or no, but implied that she agreed with the changes required by the new law. “I think what we’re looking for is to get people coverage that means something,” Warren said. “We do not sell cars with three wheels. We sell cars that travel on our highways and that have some basic standards of safety. And that’s what we’re talking about with insurance, making sure that if people are paying for insurance, they’re getting some insurance.”
Warren’s statement echoed Obama’s comments in a speech on health care he gave in Boston last month, in which the president referred to the plans that were cancelled as “cut rate plans that don’t offer real financial protection in the event of serious illness or accident.”
Obama, a Democrat, announced the policy change Thursday, in an attempt to quell rising anger from consumers who bought health insurance on the individual market and whose plans were being cancelled because they did not meet the minimum coverage standards set out by the national health care reform law. Obama had said previously that anyone who liked their health care plan would be able to keep it. But that statement only applied to plans that had been unchanged since 2010. Although consumers whose plans were cancelled were able to shop for new plans, and sometimes obtain subsidies, on newly created health insurance exchanges, some were finding that those plans cost significantly more.
Under the president’s new policy, state insurance commissioners and individual insurers will be able to decide whether to continue to offer cancelled plans for one year to existing customers. Insurers will not be allowed to sell the plans to new consumers. It is unclear how many insurers will continue to offer these plans, but the change will allow Obama to say that the Affordable Care Act is no longer blocking anyone from keeping their current insurance plan.
“Basically, what the president has said is that no insurance company will be forced to cancel insurance because of Obamacare during the next year, so that’s going to give people a smoother place,” Warren said. “But at the same time making clear to people that they have very limited coverage and that they may have options available to them that are both more affordable and that give them much better protection.”
Asked whether Obama can make the change without Congress, Warren said, “He’s got some capacity in the transition to try to smooth it out.” Obama made the proposal when he did to preempt a Friday vote on a House Republican proposal, which was gaining some Democratic support, that would not only allow existing customers to keep their cancelled plans but would allow new people to buy those plans.
A day after Obama acknowledged that the administration “fumbled the rollout” of the health care law, Warren said similarly that “there’s clearly been a problem with the rollout.” The other major issue that has plagued the rollout has been problems with healthcare.gov, the national website that controls many of the states’ new health insurance exchanges, although not Massachusetts’. The administration has said the site, which went live Oct. 1, is expected to be working smoothly only by the end of November.
Warren said the site is “getting better.” “They tell us they’re going to have it basically completely functional by the end of the month,” she said. “And I think that’s going to be the key to it. It’s going to be the way that people without insurance are able to get health insurance, affordable health insurance, insurance that will cover them.”
“People of color” have to stick together, even if one of them is a honky.
First of all, there are lots of three wheeled vehicles on the road.
Second, democrats really saw just how badly obama performed yesterday that they feel they have to go out and explain what he said.
I was listening to the car radio, tuned to the Libertarian talk-show host Jim Vicevich. A guy from Massachusetts called in, and referred to E Warren as *Hiawatha.*
I almost drove off the road I was laughing so hard.
obama and thge rest know insrance co’s can’t just mnake this happen, so late in the year, their systems aren’ t geared to plans that will no longer exist, plus legally they can’t offer illegal plans even if fedgov says they wont prosecute. the court cases if payout/coverage issues arise would not be funny.
"I'm here - the cavalry has arrived...DOH!"
evil has another name
The Indians have spoken.
They back the great half white father in Washington.
Me likem big tax. Chief Obummer keep us on reservation. Me shootem arrow at Tea Party! Ugh!
Great one dice.!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.