Just *Who* Do House Republicans Think They’re Hurting?

In another sign that House Republicans don’t understand the the Affordable Care Act or the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) decision to allow members of Congress to receive a benefit to which they’re entitled, House Republicans have crafted a bill to end the government shutdown but deny themselves $5,000-$11,000 in the process.

A little background: Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) sponsored the original amendment requiring lawmakers and staffers to enter the health benefit exchanges, but he said he didn’t intend for them to lose the employer subsidy paid by the federal government. [What he was really trying to do was get the Democrats to vote against the ACA.] The government contributes $5,000 towards an individual’s health insurance coverage and $11,000 towards family coverage for a married employee. According to Grassley, he just wanted Congress and its staffers to “go through the same red tape” as Americans enrolled in the exchanges. Yeah, right!

The Grassley Amendment did a great disservice to Congressional staffers, who don’t get paid very well. So OPM stepped in and arranged to pay the employer contribution to members of Congress and their staffers. [Unlike any other group of people covered by an employer health plan, Congress excluded itself from its employer subsidies.]

In the House’s latest effort to end the shutdown, they’ve added language to deny themselves the employee subsidy while allowing their staffers to receive it. I say MORE POWER TO THEM. They don’t need the money, so let’s save the government some money . . . at the expense of these stubborn people who don’t understand the ACA nor do they want to understand it.

House Outlines Alternative to Senate Leaders’ Fiscal Deal
New York Times | October 15, 2013