Boehner Seizes On Clinton Comment Regarding Obama's Insurance Promise

[ProSense]

Boehner Seizes On Clinton Comment Regarding Obama's Insurance Promise

House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) on Tuesday pointed to comments made by Bill Clinton in which the former president said that President Obama should do whatever it takes to fulfill his promise that if Americans like their current health plan, they can keep it.

"I personally believe, even if it takes a change to the law, the president should honor the commitment the federal government made to those people and let them keep what they got," Clinton said in a Tuesday interview with OZY.

Boehner used Clinton's comments as a reason why Democrats should pass Republican legislation that would allow insurance companies to for one year continue to offer the existing individual market plans to their customers. The bill would not require them to do so, however.

Boehner's statement below:

“I applaud President Clinton for joining the bipartisan call for President Obama to keep his promise to the American people. These comments signify a growing recognition that Americans were misled when they were promised that they could keep their coverage under President Obama’s health care law. The entire health care law is a train wreck that needs to go. And while the two parties may disagree on that point, it shouldn’t stop reasonable Democrats from working with us to shield Americans from its most egregious consequences – like the millions of current health plans being canceled. That’s why all Democrats concerned about the president’s broken promise should join Republicans in voting to pass the Keep Your Health Plan Act when it comes before the House later this week. President Clinton understood that governing in a divided Washington requires a focus on common ground, and I hope President Obama will follow the former president’s lead.”

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/boehner-seizes-on-clinton-comment-regarding-obama-s-insurance-promise

Impeccable fucking timing on both their parts! Good grief!

Obamacare 'rate shock' victim changes her mind, calls the law a 'blessing in disguise'
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/11/04/1253038/-Obamacare-rate-shock-victim-changes-her-mind-calls-the-law-a-blessing-in-disguise

The Real Story Behind the Phony Canceled Health Insurance Scandal
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023978044

Reminder for people getting those letters from their insurers: You're not their captive anymore
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/10/30/1251888/-Reminder-for-people-getting-those-letters-from-their-insurers-You-re-not-their-captive-nbsp-anymore

[Mass]

1. Who would have thought? Thanks Bill.

This said, the Upton bill does not do that. It does not force insurance to rescind cancellation letters, but allows them to sell substandard contracts to healthy people and to grandfather them.

[ProSense]

4. It just creates an opening for Republicans to push more misinformation.

Ugh!

[Xipe Totec]

2. That didn't take long

Almost as if it was staged.

[Demo_Chris]

3. No need. Obama made this bed. Don't expect anyone else to jump in there with him. nt

[ProSense]

5. Much better for Clinton to jump in bed with the insurance companies, right? n/t

[Demo_Chris]

11. That would be jumping in bed with Obama as he is already there. nt

[ProSense]

13. What BS. You're even confusing yourself

"That would be jumping in bed with Obama as he is already there"

...trying to defend Clinton. You previously stated "Obama made this bed. Don't expect anyone else to jump in there with him."

[Xipe Totec]

6. Just because he made the bed, doesn't mean you can crap on it. nt

[Demo_Chris]

10. Whatever...

Obama'a REPEATED statements on this were deliberately deceptive and incredibly stupid. You might not LIKE that everyone in Washington is getting their shots in on him, but that's what happens when you lie about a piece of legislation that has a huge impact on the life of every living American.

[ProSense]

12. Really?

"Obama'a REPEATED statements on this were deliberately deceptive and incredibly stupid."

Seems you're pushing RW talking points. I mean, at some point the claim was debunked, and now the insurance companies are being exposed as "deliberately" misleading people with these cancellations.

Yet some can't seem to let go of the RW talking points, which is what apparently led to Clinton's stupid comment.

Here Is What’s Wrong With That Story About Obama Knowing That Your Health Care Policy Would Get Cancelled

By Igor Volsky

The NBC News investigations unit is reporting that “50 to 75 percent of the 14 million consumers who buy their insurance individually can expect to receive a ‘cancellation’ letter or the equivalent over the next year because their existing policies don’t meet the standards mandated by the new health care law” — a fact administration officials knew but kept from the public.

The cancellations are a result of so-called grandfather rules promulgated by President Obama’s Health and Human Services. The rule exempts health insurance plans in existence before March 23, 2010 — the day the Affordable Care Act became law — from many of the new regulations, benefits standards and consumer protections that new plans now have to abide by, but says that policies could lose their designation if they make major changes. From NBC:

Buried in Obamacare regulations from July 2010 is an estimate that because of normal turnover in the individual insurance market, “40 to 67 percent” of customers will not be able to keep their policy. And because many policies will have been changed since the key date, “the percentage of individual market policies losing grandfather status in a given year exceeds the 40 to 67 percent range.”

That means the administration knew that more than 40 to 67 percent of those in the individual market would not be able to keep their plans, even if they liked them.

This all sounds very ominous until you consider that the naturally high turnover rate associated with the individual market means that it’s highly unlikely that individuals would still be enrolled in plans from 2010 in 2014. In fact, the Obama administration publicly admitted this when it issued the regulations in 2010, leading Republicans like Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY) to seize on the story in order to push for repeal of the grandfather regulations. Here is a story in The Hill from Sep. 22, 2010 pointing to this very same 40 to 67 percent range:



The debate was widely covered in the press, so it’s unclear what exactly the NBC investigation unit has uncovered.

- more -

http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/10/28/2850061/wrong-story-obama-knowing-health-care-policy-cancelled/

This all sounds very ominous until you consider that the naturally high turnover rate associated with the individual market means that it’s highly unlikely that individuals would still be enrolled in plans from 2010 in 2014. In fact, the Obama administration publicly admitted this when it issued the regulations in 2010, leading Republicans like Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY) to seize on the story in order to push for repeal of the grandfather regulations. Here is a story in The Hill from Sep. 22, 2010 pointing to this very same 40 to 67 percent range:

- more -

http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/10/28/2850061/wrong-story-obama-knowing-health-care-policy-cancelled/

Not was this covered extensively over the years, but the President's statement has been subjected to Politifact's scrutiny since 2009.

Barack Obama promises you can keep your health insurance, but there's no guarantee
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2009/aug/11/barack-obama/barack-obama-promises-you-can-keep-your-health-ins/

The fact checking not only indicates that the President's statement was qualified, but it also exposes that the current media reports ignore the ongoing volatility of the individual market.

Politifact 2012:

Barack Obama says that under his health care law, those who have health insurance will keep it

<...>

Other switches will be involuntary. As we have previously noted, many Americans already lose their current health plan for reasons that have nothing to do with the new law. Your employer may change insurance carriers, for instance, or your insurance carrier may unilaterally modify the terms of your plan...The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, found that in 2007, just over 14 percent of the entire U.S. population "switched" health insurance. However, this underestimates the rate of switching, because the study included people of all ages (including those covered by Medicare, who rarely switch) and because it doesn’t count a switch from one plan to the other within the same insurance company...Mercer, a private consulting firm, found that in each of the years from 2005 to 2008, roughly a quarter of companies said they made changes to their plans that would result in employees paying a greater share of the cost. In 2009 and 2010, it rose to one-third.

The number becomes substantial if you add up the workers who lose coverage entirely; who change jobs (voluntarily or involuntarily); who work for companies that change insurance carriers or adjust plan terms significantly; or whose employer’s insurance carrier is merged or bought out. And knowing that many workers every year are already required to change plans provides a different impression than what Obama is suggesting.

Our ruling

Obama has a reasonable point: His health care law does take pains to allow Americans to keep their health plan if they want to remain on it. But Obama suggests that keeping the insurance you like is guaranteed.

In reality, Americans are not simply able to keep their insurance through thick and thin. Even before the law has taken effect, the rate of forced plan-switching among policyholders every year is substantial, and the CBO figures suggest that the law could increase that rate, at least modestly, even if Americans on balance benefit from the law’s provisions. We rate Obama’s claim Half True.

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2012/jun/29/barack-obama/barack-obama-says-under-his-health-care-law-those-/

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023942430

[Mojorabbit]

20. He said you will be able to keep it. Period.

I am happy that we have the ACA. I would have liked single payor but this will do for now. He should have qualified his statement or just not have said it in the first place. As your post states, politifact rated it as half true. It is unfortunate but in the long run not important. When it is up and running I think people will like it and all this will be forgotten.

[Demo_Chris]

23. Whether they like the ACA or not, this deception will probably be forgotten. nt

[ProSense]

24. His statement was "qualified."

"As your post states, politifact rated it as half true. It is unfortunate but in the long run not important. When it is up and running I think people will like it and all this will be forgotten."

Politifact indicated it was qualified. The fact that this statement has been scrutinized since 2009 is more proof that this is idiotic RW spin and opportunism. It's a last desperate attempt to obstruct.

It's beyond stupid. The insurance companies are the ones canceling the policies. The salivating over Obama's statement is pure desperation. Reminds me of Benghazi and the IRS.

Consumer Reports destroys 'rate shock' horror story
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023962640

[Mojorabbit]

25. No, He used that sound bite over and over

knowing that policies were going to be canceled. It was stupid to do politically. Can't spin it. Does not matter in the long run.

[ProSense]

26. "Does not matter in the long run."

Political sound bites serve their purpose. Like I said, this is pure desperation on the part of the RW and insurance companies.

[Mojorabbit]

33. It will hurt him in the polls

Last edited Wed Nov 13, 2013, 01:45 AM - Edit history (1)

One of the things he had going for him was that most people thought he was trustworthy. In this day of 24 hour news cycles this will do big damage to that. I just saw a poll today that showed a drop in his numbers. Anything that makes it even harder to get his policies passed will hurt and there was no need for it. It has nothing to do with the right or insurance companies though they are capitalizing on it. Article that I just saw in another poll bearing it out. http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024024709

[Demo_Chris]

28. "Read my lips: NO NEW TAXES!"

Pro, I suspect that everyone on DU is aware of your borderline compulsive need to defend President Obama in all things. This is not an attack or criticism, but simply an observation. It's even a bit admirable. But reading your posts is like reading White House press releases covered in hand-drawn multicolored hearts.

[ProSense]

29. Hey,

"Pro, I suspect that everyone on DU is aware of your borderline compulsive need to defend President Obama in all things. This is not an attack or criticism, but simply an observation. It's even a bit admirable. But reading your posts is like reading White House press releases covered in hand-drawn multicolored hearts."

...for someone who showed up here pushing Hillary (and claiming not to know her positions) you sure try to pretend you're not here defending Clinton. I mean, maybe Hillary can "reinvent" herself as not the candidate and retire.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024021295#post11

Oh, and your "this is not an attack or criticism" is equally disingenuous and lame.

[Demo_Chris]

30. It's kind of creepy how you remember a position I held a year ago...

Do you have a notepad or something, or do you just type my username into some database?

In any case yYou should be thrilled, I believe you were one of the people who caused me to reexamine my initial support of Hillary. Once I understood that she was just another third-way compassionate conservative I dropped her. I say that I believe you were one of these people, but I could be wrong, and sadly I do not keep notes.

[ProSense]

32. No, it's "creepy" to pretend you're not a Clinton fan.

"In any case yYou should be thrilled, I believe you were one of the people who caused me to reexamine my initial support of Hillary. Once I understood that she was just another third-way compassionate conservative I dropped her. I say that I believe you were one of these people, but I could be wrong, and sadly I do not keep notes."

[Whisp]

7. They probably have an arrangement.

This is how the Clintons do their work.

They are not democratic or left or liberal, they are much more like the Bonerheads.

[tularetom]

8. This might make for interesting reading for anybody who thinks Clinton is just trying to help

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/barbara-bush-gushes-bill-clinton-treats-george-h-w-bush-father-article-1.1113917

I actually believe you can judge somebody by who their friends are.

[Whisp]

9. Froim your link:

The unlikely friendship between Clinton and his predecessor began in 2004, when the two ex-Presidents joined forces to raise money for the victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami.

==
yeh, that was a sweet money maker for the likes of the rich. Just like the Haiti scam he pulled off with his brother George Jr. I wonder when they will volunteer their big liberal giving hearts to the Phillipines.

[Purveyor]

14. Yesterday is was Carville suggesting the President hit the 'crack-pipe'. Today it is Bill lecturing

Obama to keep his promises.

Yes indeed, the Hillary camp is in the process of distancing themselves from anything to do with ACA.

A blind person could see what is happening here.

[Beacool]

15. Ahhhhh, the drama..........

Read this before continuing to froth at the mouth over Bill's remarks.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/11/12/clinton-obama-should-honor-commitment-on-keeping-health-plans/?hpt=hp_t2

http://www.politico.com/politico44/2013/11/white-house-obama-agrees-with-clinton-on-need-to-fix-177333.html

[ProSense]

17. It was a stupid comment

Carney is now having to deal with Clinton's and Boehner's comments.

He's not going to come out and say Clinton is wrong. He simply reiterating what the President said in his interview, saying he apologize for the confusion created by the statement about keeping your plan.

PRESIDENT OBAMA:
Well-- first of all, I meant what I said. And we worked hard to try to make sure that we implemented it properly. But obviously, we didn't do enough-- a good enough job-- and I regret that. We're talking about 5% of the population-- who are in what's called the individual market. They're out there buying health insurance on their own.

A lot of these plans are subpar plans. And we put in a clause in the law that said if you had one of those plans, even if it was subpar-- when the law was passed, you could keep it. But there's enough churn in the market that folks since then have bought subpar plans. And now that may be all they can afford. So even though it only affects a small amount of the population, you know, it means a lot to them, obviously, when they get-- this letter cancelled.

And-- you know, I am deeply concerned about it. And I've assigned my team to see what we can do to close some of the holes and gaps in the law-- because, you know, my intention is to lift up and make sure the insurance that people buy is effective. That it's actually going to deliver what they think they're purchasing. Because what we know is before the law was passed, a lot of these plans, people thought they had insurance coverage. And then they'd find out that they had huge out of pocket expenses. Or women were being charged more than men.

If you had preexisting conditions, you just couldn't get it at all. And we are proud of the consumer protections we put into place. On the other hand, we also want to make sure that-- nobody is put in a position where their plan's been cancelled. They can't afford a better plan, even though they'd like to have a better plan. And so we're going to have to work hard-- to make sure that those folks-- are, you know, taken care of.

<...>

PRESIDENT OBAMA:
Well, that-- let me just say generally-- and I don't think I'm saying anything that people don't know and I haven't said before. I am deeply frustrated about-- how this website has not worked over the first couple of weeks. And, you know, I take responsibility of that. My team take responsibility of that. And we are working every single day, 24/7, to improve it. And it's better now than it was last week. And it's certainly a lot better than it was on October 1st.

I'm confident that it will be even better by November 30th and that the majority of people are going to be able to get on there. They're going to be able to enroll. They're going to be able to apply. And they're going to get a good deal-- a better deal than they've got right now when it comes to buying health insurance.

Now that-- you know, having said that-- given that I've been burned already with-- a website-- well, more importantly, the American people have been burned by-- a website that has been dysfunctional. What we've also been doing is creating a whole other set of tracks. Making sure that people can apply by phone effectively. Making sure that people can apply in person effectively. So what I'm confident about is that anybody who wants to buy health insurance through the marketplace, they are going to be able to buy it. And--

- more -

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/11/07/video-watch-obama-kinda-sorta-apologize-to-americans-losing-their-health-plans/

[Beacool]

18. He's entitled to his opinion

and apparently the WH doesn't disagree with his comments.

[ProSense]

19. It's what happens

"He's entitled to his opinion and apparently the WH doesn't disagree with his comments."

...when the attempt is to box someone in.

The media article you posted is bascially saying: Look everybody, Obama agrees with Clinton that the insurance companies should be allowed to continue screwing people. Enter Boehner.

Again, that is not Carney's point or what Obama said in his interview.

[KittyWampus]

21. The White House is having to deal with the damage Bill Clinton has caused. Damage that benefits

Insurance companies and Republicans.

[HijackedLabel]

16. President Obama should return the favor.

And offer his ground game infrastructure, a la OFA, to VP Biden or someone else loyal to him.

[spanone]

22. boehner is irrelevant in the current political world. he speaks for no one. not even his party.

[ProSense]

27. House Dem Leaders To Oppose GOP's 'Keep Your Health Plan' Bill

House Dem Leaders To Oppose GOP's 'Keep Your Health Plan' Bill

House Democratic leaders will oppose Republican-led legislation that allows insurers to continue insurance policies into 2014 even if they don't meet Obamacare benefit standards, a Democratic leadership aide told TPM.

"The (Fred) Upton legislation would create a new insurance market where people with preexisting conditions would be discriminated against and women would pay more," the aide said. “This bill would increase premiums and undermine the health reform law. While we have not seen final text, the leadership will oppose this legislation as it is the 46th attempt to repeal or undermine the Affordable Care Act."

Rory Cooper, a spokesman for House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), predicted that the bill would win Democratic votes. "Something tells me their members don't feel the same way," he wrote on Twitter, responding to the Democratic aide's comment.

The White House came out against the bill earlier Tuesday afternoon. Read it here.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/house-dem-leaders-to-oppose-gop-s-keep-your-health-plan-bill

What timing!

[DefenseLawyer]

31. The Clintons will always be about the Clintons

Always.