STATES WIN??????

[Deleted]

I think???
www.nytimes.com/2011/03/01/us/politics/01health.html?_r=2&partner=rss&emc=rss
Obama Set to Ease Health Law Requirements
By KEVIN SACK
Published: February 28, 2011
Seeking to appease disgruntled governors, President Obama plans to announce on Monday that he supports amending the 2010 health care law to allow states to opt out of its most burdensome requirements three years earlier than currently permitted.
Senior administration officials said Mr. Obama would reveal to the National Governors Association in a speech on Monday morning that he backs legislation that would enable states to request federal permission to withdraw from the law’s mandates in 2014 rather than in 2017. The earlier date is when many of the act’s central provisions take effect, including requirements that most individuals obtain health insurance and that employers of a certain size offer coverage to workers or pay a penalty.

The announcement is the first time Mr. Obama has called for changing a central component of his signature health care law, although he has backed removing a specific tax provision that both parties regard as onerous on business. The shift comes as the law is under fierce attack in the courts and from Republicans on Capitol Hill and in statehouses around the country.

The bipartisan amendment that Mr. Obama is now embracing was first proposed in November, eight months after enactment of the Affordable Care Act, by Senators Ron Wyden, Democrat of Oregon, and Scott Brown, Republican of Massachusetts. Senator Mary L. Landrieu of Louisiana, a Democrat, is now a co-sponsor.

More

[Deleted]

Or is this another gov't game?? Can the broke states do it? Anyone have any ideas?

[Deleted]

Interesting.. remember I told you guys about the free cab rides to medical appts for welfare-- that Brewer tried to eliminate them, and Feds would not let her-- without suffering a penalty, so they stayed in?? I bet anything this is what this is. Trust me-- the free rides are a scam.

From the link
This month, Ms. Sebelius sent a letter to Gov. Jan Brewer of Arizona, a Republican, to inform her that an expiring waiver meant Arizona would not need federal permission to eliminate a Medicaid program that currently covers 250,000 childless adults. On Friday, she informed states that they could raise premiums for Medicaid enrollees without running afoul of the federal eligibility requirements.

[wyouser]

someone actually charges a premium for medicaid?

[Deleted]

Some of our AZ welfare people have to pay a buck to go to the doc, and to get meds-- still they bitch. The state pays $1.40 a mile to transport them in cabs to and fro-- even when they have cars in the driveway. We, the cabbies, even have to pick up meds and DELIVER them to the homes, as long as it is not narco.

[BeenThere...DoneThat...]

<<< STATES WIN??? >>>

...well, I certainly don't want them to lose... what chaps my hide is that an "us vs. them" dilemma is looming into the forefront in the first place...

??

[ChiTownVenture]

The legislation would allow states to opt out earlier from various requirements if they could demonstrate that other methods would allow them to cover as many people, with insurance that is as comprehensive and affordable, as provided by the new law. The changes also must not increase the federal deficit.

If states can meet those standards, they can ask to circumvent minimum benefit levels, structural requirements for insurance exchanges and the mandates that most individuals obtain coverage and that employers provide it. Washington would then help finance a state’s individualized health care system with federal money that would otherwise be spent there on insurance subsidies and tax credits.

“It seemed to make sense that rather than have states invest in a system that may not be best for them, you change the date to 2014 from 2017 and give them the flexibility to design it,” said one of several administration officials who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly before the president. “But it’s clear that states must do a number of things to qualify for a waiver.”

I think everyone wins...

[Deleted]

Agree, been there. I live in a state that is currently being sued by the Feds for trying to enforce federal immigration laws on our own.

[Deleted]

And meanwhile, back behind the non transparent cover---
www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0211/On_call_officials_stress_public_options_in_health_care_shift.html
On call, officials stress public options in health care shift
Jennifer Haberkorn reports that President Obama's move to allow states flexibility in spending health care funds is the "most significant change" since the law was enacted, and a potential gesture toward critics.

But a source on a White House conference call with liberal allies this morning says the Administration is presenting it to Democrats as an opportunity to offer more expansive health care plans than the one Congress passed.

Health care advisers Nancy-Ann DeParle and Stephanie Cutter stressed on the off-record call that the rule change would allow states to implement single-payer health care plans -- as Vermont seeks to -- and true government-run plans, like Connecticut's Sustinet.

The source on the call summarizes the officials' point -- which is not one the Administration has sought to make publically -- as casting the new "flexibility" language as an opportunity to try more progressive, not less expansive, approaches on the state level.

MORE...

[Deleted]

Sneaky bastards, aren't they?

[jnap]

Here is a simple but true message. If you don't have health insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, private or Tricare don't you or any member of your family get sick because if you do you can expect a life of misery thereafter.
The hospitals may treat you but they will expect you to sell your house and cash in all saving to pay them.
I know several people that fall into that very category. In fact, unpayable health care costs are the number one cause of bankruptcy in the US.

[Deleted]

Same happens to old people when one of a pair gets really sick and needs a nursing home. The well one has to lose EVERYTHING to get care for the sick one unless they have tons of money. And that is doing what they thought were all the right things all of their lives. The only way around it is to buy that long term care insurance, which you have to start by age 30.... then a few years later the gov't will turn around and say-- HEY-- all that money you paid in to blahblahblah-- it's gone-- sorry. Does the FABULOUS Obamacare cover that?
What's the point any more?

[hello fromWarsaw]

The state plans have to do just as much as health reform- just shows Dems are flexible BUT, the goal is the same...

[Deleted]

All this does is move back the date from 2017 to 2014 ... states were always allowed to float their own comparabe plans, just the date was later...

I'd love to see how states are going to accomplish the same goals, and NOT raise the federal deficit... while getting rid of a mandate...

[mmhmm]

Long term care insurance is privately run, not government run. The government can't turn around and say: "You know all that money you paid in, well, blah, blah, blah." The insurance company, however, can.

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

Too little, too late.

[Deleted]

There is SO much waste and abuse in Medicaid, though. I saw hundreds of cases driving my cab all those years. Every time our Gov tries to work on the waste and abuse feds stop her. My above post seems to indicate the Feds are now going to allow these kinds of cuts for states without penalties. Actually, I just saw my Gov, Jan Brewer, on FOX news, talking about cuts we CAN make, and sure enough, she mentioned the free cab rides. And I made a mistake in my numbers above about the free cab rides. The CABBIES get $1.40 a mile. The cab companies bill the state twice that, and pocket the difference. And the welfare people know how to work this stuff. They know how to lie to get Medicaid, and they know how to lie to get rides. Many live in small towns and we drive them in free. Many live away from bus lines just so they can get free rides. My longest run was 303 miles, one way. The bulk of the business is just around town, right on major bus routes, for people with no visible physical or mental problem. Sometimes people set MD appts to get free rides in to Tucson or Phoenix to go visit relatives. It's common knowledge. They tell the cabbies everything, and snitching on them does nothing except get the driver fired. Lots of these people have several cars at their house, and they tell the insurance that the car is broke down when it is not. They work under the table, refuse to marry Baby Daddy, keep their work hours around 20 a week, so many lies you would not believe it. Lots of them don't speak a word of English and have several small children all going in for MD appts. And, get this, they seem to have no concept whatsoever that somebody somewhere is paying for all their free stuff, no guilt, NOTHING. Of course they never tip the drivers, and rarely even say thank you. It's really disgusting.
I stopped doing the welfare stuff a few years ago, couldn't stomach it any more. Just cutting that kind of crap would save my state an incredible amount of money. I think services like that should only be used for disabled, very sick, or elderly people that have a real need. Only a small portion of the rides fit in that category. I don't think most people know about stuff like this. Why would they?? But it is real, so when Govs start talking about cuts to Medicaid it doesn't necessarily mean lining people up to die in the streets. Not quite that exciting in real life.