Press Republican “Letter to the Editor” disputed by Congressman Owen’s Office
Did members of Congress try to exempt themselves from current health care reform legislation?
No. This claim was based on the erroneous assumption that congressional efforts to establish a “public option” for health insurance would have required everyone (except members of Congress) to participate in a new federal insurance plan. The proposed legislation would merely have required everyone (including members of Congress) to have health insurance that met minimum benefit standards, and to that end called for the creation of insurance exchanges which would offer health insurance plans to those who could not otherwise afford insurance plans meeting the minimum benefits criteria.
In fact, the final version of the health care reform legislation that was eventually passed in March 2010 stated that “Members of Congress and congressional staff” will only have access to plans that are created by the health care bill or offered through the exchanges established by the bill:
(D) MEMBERS OF CONGRESS IN THE EXCHANGE.
(i) REQUIREMENT — Notwithstanding any other provision of law, after the effective date of this subtitle, the only health plans that the Federal Government may make available to Members of Congress and congressional staff with respect to their service as a Member of Congress or congressional staff shall be health plans that are:
(I) created under this Act (or an amendment made by this Act); or
(II) offered through an Exchange established under this Act (or an amendment made by this Act).
Posted: January 24th, 2011 under Congressional News.