Teh One Who Knocks
03-27-2014, 10:39 AM
FOX News and The Associated Press
http://i.imgur.com/cEx3xna.jpg
Several Democratic senators reportedly plan to introduce as soon as Thursday a set of principles and legislation aimed at fixing parts of ObamaCare amid concerns the law could cost Democrats House seats and possibly the Senate in November.
Sens. Mark Warner, D-Va.; Mark Begich, D-Alaska; Mary Landrieu, D-La.; Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D.; Joe Manchin, D-W.Va.; and Sen. Angus King, I., Maine, will introduce proposals to improve the law, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Begich and Warner have called for allowing "copper" plans on the government-run health exchanges. The new insurance plans would offer lower premiums and higher out-of-pocket costs than the "bronze," "silver" and "gold" options currently offered.
"I've always been a believer that the law was not perfect, but you should continue to work to improve it," Begich told the newspaper. "People are seeing that as it's implemented, there are tweaks you need to do and there's just nothing wrong with that."
Warner, who faces a formidible midterm challenge from Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie, said on Fox News earlier this week that he supports allowing Americans to purchase health insurance across state lines.
Senate Democratic aides told The Wall Street Journal that other bills offering changes that don't undercut the law's foundations will also be introduced.
Earlier this month, Republican David Jolly defeated Democrat Alex Sink in a Florida special election largely seen as a referendum on ObamaCare. Democrats, however, downplayed the loss in the Republican-leaning congressional district.
Republicans must pick up six seats to win control of the Senate. Conservative groups such as Americans for Prosperity are reportedly pouring million into races in which Democratic incumbents have supported ObamaCare.
House Democrats must gain 17 seats to win a majority next fall. It looms as a very steep challenge in view of the traditional midterm headwinds facing a party in control of the White House and a generally sour public mood, now compounded by controversy surrounding the health care law.
It is unclear if Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D., Nev., would bring any of the bills aimed at fixing ObamaCare to the floor. Democratic aides told The Journal that the effort has sparked debate about whether making the changes would return public attention to the health law's flaws.
Democratic strategist Steve Murphy said the fixes could help vulnerable lawmakers more than changes from the Obama administration that are immediately criticized by Republicans.
"Democrats should fight back hard on what eliminating ObamaCare would mean, and they also should demonstrate a willingness to make ObamaCare better," Murphy told The Journal.
The Health and Human Services Department announced this week that those who've started an enrollment application, but weren't able to finish before the March 31 open enrollment deadline, would get a limited amount of time to sign up for coverage that would take effect May 1.
Additionally, people with 10 general categories of "special" circumstances would also get extra time to apply — up to 60 days. Categories include natural disasters, system errors related to immigration status, computer error messages due to technical difficulties, family situations involving domestic abuse, and other sorts of problems.
The latest administrative tweaks to health overhaul rules drew immediate scorn from Republicans committed to repealing the law.
"The administration has now handed out so many waivers, special favors and exemptions to help Democrats out politically ... it's basically become the legal equivalent of Swiss cheese," said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
Some Republicans have expressed reservations about helping Democrats improve a law believed to be central to the GOP's midterm strategy, The Journal reported.
"These folks have voted for that bad piece of legislation [are] now having remorse," said Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R., Ga., adding that Democrats "want to try to do something political to a very unpopular piece of legislation."
http://i.imgur.com/cEx3xna.jpg
Several Democratic senators reportedly plan to introduce as soon as Thursday a set of principles and legislation aimed at fixing parts of ObamaCare amid concerns the law could cost Democrats House seats and possibly the Senate in November.
Sens. Mark Warner, D-Va.; Mark Begich, D-Alaska; Mary Landrieu, D-La.; Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D.; Joe Manchin, D-W.Va.; and Sen. Angus King, I., Maine, will introduce proposals to improve the law, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Begich and Warner have called for allowing "copper" plans on the government-run health exchanges. The new insurance plans would offer lower premiums and higher out-of-pocket costs than the "bronze," "silver" and "gold" options currently offered.
"I've always been a believer that the law was not perfect, but you should continue to work to improve it," Begich told the newspaper. "People are seeing that as it's implemented, there are tweaks you need to do and there's just nothing wrong with that."
Warner, who faces a formidible midterm challenge from Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie, said on Fox News earlier this week that he supports allowing Americans to purchase health insurance across state lines.
Senate Democratic aides told The Wall Street Journal that other bills offering changes that don't undercut the law's foundations will also be introduced.
Earlier this month, Republican David Jolly defeated Democrat Alex Sink in a Florida special election largely seen as a referendum on ObamaCare. Democrats, however, downplayed the loss in the Republican-leaning congressional district.
Republicans must pick up six seats to win control of the Senate. Conservative groups such as Americans for Prosperity are reportedly pouring million into races in which Democratic incumbents have supported ObamaCare.
House Democrats must gain 17 seats to win a majority next fall. It looms as a very steep challenge in view of the traditional midterm headwinds facing a party in control of the White House and a generally sour public mood, now compounded by controversy surrounding the health care law.
It is unclear if Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D., Nev., would bring any of the bills aimed at fixing ObamaCare to the floor. Democratic aides told The Journal that the effort has sparked debate about whether making the changes would return public attention to the health law's flaws.
Democratic strategist Steve Murphy said the fixes could help vulnerable lawmakers more than changes from the Obama administration that are immediately criticized by Republicans.
"Democrats should fight back hard on what eliminating ObamaCare would mean, and they also should demonstrate a willingness to make ObamaCare better," Murphy told The Journal.
The Health and Human Services Department announced this week that those who've started an enrollment application, but weren't able to finish before the March 31 open enrollment deadline, would get a limited amount of time to sign up for coverage that would take effect May 1.
Additionally, people with 10 general categories of "special" circumstances would also get extra time to apply — up to 60 days. Categories include natural disasters, system errors related to immigration status, computer error messages due to technical difficulties, family situations involving domestic abuse, and other sorts of problems.
The latest administrative tweaks to health overhaul rules drew immediate scorn from Republicans committed to repealing the law.
"The administration has now handed out so many waivers, special favors and exemptions to help Democrats out politically ... it's basically become the legal equivalent of Swiss cheese," said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
Some Republicans have expressed reservations about helping Democrats improve a law believed to be central to the GOP's midterm strategy, The Journal reported.
"These folks have voted for that bad piece of legislation [are] now having remorse," said Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R., Ga., adding that Democrats "want to try to do something political to a very unpopular piece of legislation."