Obamacare's Architect Explains Why Halbig Matters

The below video, retrieved from Forbes, shows precisely why the 3rd Circuit Court's decision supports the states, and the man below, Obamacare's chief architect...

What you really need to hear starts at 31:25 where this gentleman, Jonathan Gruber, who was the architect of the law, explains the political reasons for which it was structured to put the burden on the states. The problem being that these states did not, and indeed could not, institute this boondoggle themselves, and therefore serve as shining examples of how this law is utterly unsustainable.

This is at the heart of the Halbig vs Burwell ruling made by the DC 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals recently. The court correctly read the bill's language, which dictates money to flow only to states with their necks already on the block, so to speak, with their own healthcare exchanges.

What do the administration, or this law's proponents do when faced with a big heaping plate of their own words?

Just stick their fingers in their ears and pretend that they did not say them.

VA GOP Caucus

vagopcaucus.blogspot.com

Big Blow to Obamacare by Obamacare

Today, a ruling came down from the DC Circuit Court of Appeals that condemns Obamacare subsidies to states that do not have their own health exchanges, which constitutes the vast majority. These subsidies were originally Obamacare's "big stick" that would be used to "motivate" states to set up their own exchanges  rather than falling back on Healthcare.gov.

And why wouldn't they, when Arkansas and Indiana are having such an easy time of it, right?

Please; both the "private option", and state exchanges are turning into fiscal and political anchors for those who are implementing them. And where do the huddled masses turn? Healthcare.gov. Because, unlike the states, when Obama saw the boondoggle that was the federal website, he decided to keep digging until he saw daylight.

President Obama, when he first sold these state exchanges to loyalist Dem governors, knew that he was placing an anvil of debt on the reluctant backs of these states. Now, when they shake them off, dependence on the Federal exchange is nearly ubiquitous; leading us farther and farther down the road to ruin. That is how these cases got to court. But the provisions of the law are clear; the subsidies are meant to go to state exchanges.

I guess it's just no one's fault that barely any states can afford to keep them open?

VA GOP Caucus

vagopcaucus.blogspot.com

Sickles: Way Off

"I quintupled the number?! Oh Dear..."

In his never-ending quest for a narrative to sell Medicaid Expansion to Virginia, Mark Sickles got some serious wires crossed. When the beleagured Delegate claimed that a full 30% of the state's Medicaid
costs go to seniors in nursing care, Politifact flatly rated his statement false. Reminder: this guy sits on the Health, Welfare, and Institutions Committee...

Let's keep our numbers within the realm of the believable, shall we? The fact is that hardly over 2% of Medicaid recipients are in nursing care, and they use less than 10% of the funds. 

Not only does that number fail to strengthen Sickles' argument, it strengthens the argument that we should be wary of expansion. When the 2% of patients in nursing homes becomes 4%, or 6%, what will happen to their 10% share of the budget pie?




VA GOP Caucus

vagopcaucus.blogspot.com

Is John Foust the Only Democrat in his Family?

It would appear that the Foust household can (at least halfway) agree with Virginia Republicans on one issue. Dr. Marilyn Jerome, Supervisor Foust's wife, was recently outed over her Ob. Gyn. clinic's choice not to take patients with Medicaid, Obamacare's chief vehicle at the state level.

Now, I really have no problem with that. There are numerous, very sensible reasons that a business would not want to rely on the government for payment. There is mountainous red tape to deal with, and after that it is still sometimes doubtful whether you will get paid on time (if at all, in some cases).

The problem with that, though, is this....

That is ripped DIRECTLY from one of Supervisor Foust's press releases. 

What gives? Obamacare is only super great as long as we don't have to treat these people? It just goes to show how in touch John Foust is with the healthcare debate. He can't even win it at home. 

VA GOP Caucus

vagopcaucus.blogspot.com