Posted on 11/20/2013 3:27:54 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
WASHINGTON D.C. — Amidst troubling reports of Obamacare navigators urging consumers in Texas to lie on their applications in order to qualify for greater federal subsidies, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, today wrote to President Obama demanding he terminate the troubled Navigator program. In the letter Sen. Cornyn also points to recent sworn testimony by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, in which she admitted to Sen. Cornyn that due to a lack of criminal background checks, it is possible taxpayer-funded navigators, who handle consumers’ personal and confidential information, could in fact be convicted felons. The full text of the letter is below.
November 20, 2013
President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear Mr. President:
I am writing to express serious concerns regarding the federal navigator program.
In August 2013, Health and Human Services (HHS) distributed a total of $67 million in taxpayer funded grants to 105 organizations for the creation of navigator programs. As mandated by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), navigators are to provide education and enrollment assistance to individuals in 34 states enrolling through the federal exchange. Navigator programs are responsible for hiring, training and certifying navigators to assist Americans purchasing insurance on the federal exchange. However, the Administration established only minimal federal requirements for individuals who could be certified as navigators.
During the Senate Committee on Finance hearing on health insurance exchanges, Secretary Sebelius acknowledged that there were no federal requirements that navigators undergo a criminal background check and agreed it was “possible” for navigators to be convicted felons. According to the HHS Navigator Standard Operating Procedures Manual, as navigators assist individuals with enrolling on the exchanges they will have access to consumers’ personally identifiable information, such as date of birth, social security number, and tax information. Recent news reports have revealed navigators with criminal backgrounds have been certified calling into question the safety of vulnerable Americans’ personal information as they attempt to comply with the law.
Reports have also recently surfaced of navigators encouraging individuals to misreport their taxable income in order to receive higher subsidies than they are legally eligible to receive. These navigators are not only condoning tax fraud, they are actively encouraging consumers to illegally obtain federal health care subsidies and defraud American taxpayers.
Given these concerns, I ask that you bring an end to the troubled navigator program. Americans must be protected, and this program should stop before any more harm is done.
Sincerely,
JOHN CORNYN
United State Senator
Senator Cornyn serves on the Finance and Judiciary Committees. He serves as the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee’s Immigration, Refugees and Border Security subcommittee. He served previously as Texas Attorney General, Texas Supreme Court Justice, and Bexar County District Judge.
There are good grounds to terminate it, and it would further screw the law. I’m all for it, but its going nowhere.
Shouldn’t Cornyn be writing and passing legislation?
Obama will just send it to Holder who will put it in the circular file.
Yes, I have a comment. Why is it Obama’s responsibility now to terminate this particular odious aspect of Obamacare? Because his name is on it? Simply defund it, Senator. That’s YOUR job. To hades with Obama. Just change it, delete it, put it to a vote, etc. Obama’s not changing anything.
We need another Ted Cruz but they don't come along every year... or every 6 years.
Holder has a conflict of interest, and cannot investigate or prosecute; time to appoint a special prosecutor.
Where were you when a Real Texan (Ted Cruz) tried to stop the whole thing dead in its tracks ?
Mr. Cornyn, you need to spend more time working on your resume instead, since you will be replaced in the primaries.
Real Texans have each others "six", and don't forget those who don't.
Too little, too late for Lord Cornwallis.
It will not amount to anything. The Obungler will not respond to sternly worded letters. I doubt it will have any affect at all.
The good Senator had an opportunity to stand by his fellow Texan to stop this, and not only failed to do so he badmouthed him in the process. Screw you John, you’ve done enough.
So why did this progressive phony vote for cloture?
Such great news! That letter will scare the pants off Obama and his minions. We won’t have to worry about the Navigators any more. Whew. What a relief!
The Clown is not scared of Cornyn. He knows that Cornyn will be in a fight.
Cornyn has shown that he is a beltway GOPe.
Texans know it, John is scared.
Just trying to show a little spine, way too late.
It’s Obamacare and the Obama presidency which must be terminated.
Thanks 2ndDivisionVet.
If these Navigators didn’t have their new cozy government jobs they’d still be out there mugging people. Perhaps it’s a good way to get some of these lowlife people off the streets.
Yeah, Cornyn is being primaried. Of course he's making 'conservative' noises. It's what CINOs do. Nothing will come of it, because he has no intention whatsoever on following this up with anything but words.
Primaried by who?
There is not a really suitable candidate for that right now
What you said!!
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