The Weekly Standard asked Sen. Mitch McConnell if GOP Congresses during the Bush years spent too much money. McConnell said, essentially, that they did not.
As he often does when asked a direct question, McConnell offered an evasive answer to this one: "I think it's time to quit relitigating the Bush years." This means, of course, that the bailouts and the wasted billions would be continue to be welcomed by McConnell if he is given another term in office.
He also reiterated his attack on conservatives who fought to defund ObamaCare, a strategy that only failed because weak "leaders" in Congress -- Boehner and McConnell -- caved in to Obama and friends.
You can read the whole article here.
Saturday, March 15, 2014
Friday, March 14, 2014
Five damned ObamaCare supporters in Frankfort
Yesterday, House Reps. Sannie Overly, Bob Damron, Johnny Bell, Jeff Greer and Gerald Watkins voted in favor of ObamaCare in Kentucky, effectively turning their seats over to Republican candidates this fall.
There were three dozen more Democrats who did the same, but these will be sufficient to turn the House of Representatives over to Republicans this fall. Again, congratulations and good job, Jeff Hoover.
There were three dozen more Democrats who did the same, but these will be sufficient to turn the House of Representatives over to Republicans this fall. Again, congratulations and good job, Jeff Hoover.
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Start calling Jeff Hoover "Mr. Speaker"
Kentucky House Democrats just threw away their majority tonight in order to campaign for ObamaCare funding in the state budget.
Highlights of the debate included Rep. Tom Burch saying, again, that we should just get over it and Rep. Bob Damron claiming falsely that we have no choice in the matter.
These people are thoroughly disgusting and being forced to listen to them as the majority in the House is not something I will miss.
There is no reason at all for Senate Republicans to cave in on this now. Right, guys?
Highlights of the debate included Rep. Tom Burch saying, again, that we should just get over it and Rep. Bob Damron claiming falsely that we have no choice in the matter.
These people are thoroughly disgusting and being forced to listen to them as the majority in the House is not something I will miss.
There is no reason at all for Senate Republicans to cave in on this now. Right, guys?
ObamaCare debate happening now
The Kentucky House of Representatives is debating funding for ObamaCare right now.
3:47 pm: Speaker Stumbo tried a little legislative sleight-of-hand to avoid taking a vote specifically on ObamaCare funding and House Minority Leader Jeff Hoover crammed it back down his throat.
3:54 And Stumbo just slipped back out of it. But House Republicans immediately moved to shift the discussion back to ObamaCare. The fight is on.
3:57 We are now in a full blown budget crisis over funding for ObamaCare in Kentucky.
3:59 Rep. Joe Fischer is properly framing the debate as one dealing with proper gubernatorial powers and the abuse of same by Gov. Steve Beshear.
House Republicans are the only people speaking.
4:13 First test vote on ObamaCare funding passed with 52 votes.
4:14 Now taking up first floor amendment to strip out ObamaCare funding. Democrats are using their majority to shut off debate about ObamaCare.
4:29 Rep. Stan Lee is arguing for making Attorney General Jack Conway pay for Gov. Beshear's appeal of the federal court marriage amendment lawsuit. The legislative trick Democrats used to avoid a vote solely on ObamaCare is now forcing them to take a position on marriage they did not want to take.
4:44 Rep. Lee's amendment failed. Some of the cowards who took a pass on this one will have trouble with this pretty soon. Thinking specifically about Bob Damron's Democratic primary for Jessamine County Judge Executive.
4:58 Rep. Robert Benvenuti is making the case for dropping ObamaCare funding because it has nothing to do with healthcare and is only about a federal takeover.
5:02 Rep. Mary Lou Marzian is the first rank and file Democrat to stand up in support of ObamaCare. She hates insurance companies. Really isn't saying anything else.
5:06 Rep. Kim King talked about being kicked off her private health insurance due to ObamaCare.
5:08 Rep. Tom Burch says ObamaCare is the law and we should just get over it. Said we will have single payer in five years and people won't be fat or smokers.
5:11 Rep. Rick Rand said if ObamaCare funding is not included in the budget Frankfort will undergo a government shutdown in July.
5:28 Rep. Jill York, Richard Heath, David Floyd and Bam Carney took to the floor to talk against other forms of waste in the budget.
5:34 Rep. Jim Wayne appreciates Gov. Beshear being "wise enough" to throw us into ObamaCare.
6:00 Rep. Jeff Hoover on ObamaCare: "We don't agree with it and we want to know what Democrats in the House think about it." By all accounts, Democrats in House are for it. Twenty nine Democrats who are in attendance today did not vote on the ObamaCare amendment.
6:22 Democrats are whining about "no" votes, saying that voting against the budget means you want children to starve and old people to freeze to death.
6:27 Rep. David Watkins spoke in favor of ObamaCare.
6:28 Rep. Tim Moore criticized Democrats' "procedural manipulation" which shut off all Republican amendments to make the budget "acceptable to all." Said voting against budget is not a vote against everything in the budget, but against the entire measure.
6:42 Rep. Bob DeWeese: "I have voted for every budget since I have been over here, but I'm not voting for this one."
6:48 Rep. Bob Damron: "The federal law didn't give us any options. The only option we had was about the Medicaid expansion." "I don't know if it will work or not but there is not a single member on this floor who has taken a vote or can take a vote on ObamaCare." This is not true. Damron voted for it when he passed on the motion to suspend the rules and take a vote on an amendment to delete ObamaCare funding. Damron: "We've been talking for three and a half hours about how much we hate ObamaCare but, Mr. Speaker, we don't have a say in whether we do ObamaCare or not."
6:57 Rep. Stan Lee: "The people want us to not fund it (ObamaCare.)
7:03 Budget passed House 53-46.
3:47 pm: Speaker Stumbo tried a little legislative sleight-of-hand to avoid taking a vote specifically on ObamaCare funding and House Minority Leader Jeff Hoover crammed it back down his throat.
3:54 And Stumbo just slipped back out of it. But House Republicans immediately moved to shift the discussion back to ObamaCare. The fight is on.
3:57 We are now in a full blown budget crisis over funding for ObamaCare in Kentucky.
3:59 Rep. Joe Fischer is properly framing the debate as one dealing with proper gubernatorial powers and the abuse of same by Gov. Steve Beshear.
House Republicans are the only people speaking.
4:13 First test vote on ObamaCare funding passed with 52 votes.
4:14 Now taking up first floor amendment to strip out ObamaCare funding. Democrats are using their majority to shut off debate about ObamaCare.
4:29 Rep. Stan Lee is arguing for making Attorney General Jack Conway pay for Gov. Beshear's appeal of the federal court marriage amendment lawsuit. The legislative trick Democrats used to avoid a vote solely on ObamaCare is now forcing them to take a position on marriage they did not want to take.
4:44 Rep. Lee's amendment failed. Some of the cowards who took a pass on this one will have trouble with this pretty soon. Thinking specifically about Bob Damron's Democratic primary for Jessamine County Judge Executive.
4:58 Rep. Robert Benvenuti is making the case for dropping ObamaCare funding because it has nothing to do with healthcare and is only about a federal takeover.
5:02 Rep. Mary Lou Marzian is the first rank and file Democrat to stand up in support of ObamaCare. She hates insurance companies. Really isn't saying anything else.
5:06 Rep. Kim King talked about being kicked off her private health insurance due to ObamaCare.
5:08 Rep. Tom Burch says ObamaCare is the law and we should just get over it. Said we will have single payer in five years and people won't be fat or smokers.
5:11 Rep. Rick Rand said if ObamaCare funding is not included in the budget Frankfort will undergo a government shutdown in July.
5:28 Rep. Jill York, Richard Heath, David Floyd and Bam Carney took to the floor to talk against other forms of waste in the budget.
5:34 Rep. Jim Wayne appreciates Gov. Beshear being "wise enough" to throw us into ObamaCare.
6:00 Rep. Jeff Hoover on ObamaCare: "We don't agree with it and we want to know what Democrats in the House think about it." By all accounts, Democrats in House are for it. Twenty nine Democrats who are in attendance today did not vote on the ObamaCare amendment.
6:22 Democrats are whining about "no" votes, saying that voting against the budget means you want children to starve and old people to freeze to death.
6:27 Rep. David Watkins spoke in favor of ObamaCare.
6:28 Rep. Tim Moore criticized Democrats' "procedural manipulation" which shut off all Republican amendments to make the budget "acceptable to all." Said voting against budget is not a vote against everything in the budget, but against the entire measure.
6:42 Rep. Bob DeWeese: "I have voted for every budget since I have been over here, but I'm not voting for this one."
6:48 Rep. Bob Damron: "The federal law didn't give us any options. The only option we had was about the Medicaid expansion." "I don't know if it will work or not but there is not a single member on this floor who has taken a vote or can take a vote on ObamaCare." This is not true. Damron voted for it when he passed on the motion to suspend the rules and take a vote on an amendment to delete ObamaCare funding. Damron: "We've been talking for three and a half hours about how much we hate ObamaCare but, Mr. Speaker, we don't have a say in whether we do ObamaCare or not."
6:57 Rep. Stan Lee: "The people want us to not fund it (ObamaCare.)
7:03 Budget passed House 53-46.
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Frankfort's first ObamaCare vote delayed until tomorrow
The House of Representatives just announced that the budget bill with ObamaCare funding will not be voted on until tomorrow. Do you know how your representative is going to vote?
First real Kentucky ObamaCare vote TODAY
The Kentucky House of Representatives is expected to vote on the executive branch budget House Bill 235 this afternoon and go on the record on funding for ObamaCare, which we can't afford.
Rep. Joe Fischer has filed House Floor Amendment 13 to HB 235 to pull funding for the Medicaid Expansion and the Health Benefit Exchange out of the budget. Any vote for the budget without HB 13 is a vote for ObamaCare.
Rep. Joe Fischer has filed House Floor Amendment 13 to HB 235 to pull funding for the Medicaid Expansion and the Health Benefit Exchange out of the budget. Any vote for the budget without HB 13 is a vote for ObamaCare.
Kentucky ObamaCare bill twisting in Frankfort wind
I have to laugh every time I tell someone about the Kentucky bill (HB 505) seeking to make the ObamaCare exchange legal here. There is almost no public understanding of what is about to happen and the latest indication is that it when it blows up it will be a shock to almost everyone.
The House Health and Welfare Committee just released its agenda for tomorrow's meeting and House Bill 505 is not on it. The committee's chairman, Rep. Tom Burch, is the sponsor of HB 505 and would surely pass it onto the House floor if he had the votes in his committee.
Letting his own bill linger at this late date in the session is very telling.
The legislative fight is coming down to the budget with Republicans having no reason to support ObamaCare and Democrats writing the campaign commercials for their opponents this fall if they (Democrats) do.
I'm not seeing any desire by Republicans in Frankfort to turn in support of Gov. Beshear on ObamaCare now, are you?
The House Health and Welfare Committee just released its agenda for tomorrow's meeting and House Bill 505 is not on it. The committee's chairman, Rep. Tom Burch, is the sponsor of HB 505 and would surely pass it onto the House floor if he had the votes in his committee.
Letting his own bill linger at this late date in the session is very telling.
The legislative fight is coming down to the budget with Republicans having no reason to support ObamaCare and Democrats writing the campaign commercials for their opponents this fall if they (Democrats) do.
I'm not seeing any desire by Republicans in Frankfort to turn in support of Gov. Beshear on ObamaCare now, are you?
How many Frankfort reporters can screw in lightbulbs?
The ObamaCare sales pitch presented to the Senate budget committee yesterday was by any objective viewing a disaster. Health and Family Cabinet Secretary Audrey Haynes was arrogant and dishonest, telling Sen. David Givens that state funds are not necessary for Medicaid Expansion in the next two years, telling Sen. Tom Buford that no new tax is necessary to fund the ObamaCare exchange and telling Sen. Bob Leeper that we can unilaterally drop out of the Medicaid Expansion when we realize we can't afford it.
She spent most of the rest of her time apologizing for not knowing answers to legislators' questions.
But the funniest line may have been when Audrey Haynes justified forcing men and infertile women to be covered for maternity care like this: "As a woman, I would say that I probably paid for tests that you have to take as a man that I pay for in my health insurance policy. And so, women have been unduly sort of penalized by having to get riders on their policies unless they have some terrific policy which is why we have always with Medicaid you could be up above the 38% of poverty, it went higher than that, for poor women who were pregnant because they, first of all it is expensive as we all know to have a child and so now we will all be able to share in that expense."
Well, that certainly clears that up. What is less clear is why not one single Frankfort reporter covered the hearing. Fortunately, there is video on KET. Click here to watch it under "March 11 Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee." The part about Medicaid starts twenty four minutes in and runs to the end.
There is no way Senate Republicans can justify putting this nonsense in the budget, which must be completed April 15. If House Democrats insist on wasting more money on ObamaCare -- and they might -- that means a budget stalemate that must be resolved with yet another special session before June 30. The fact this possibility has not been explored by a single reporter is inexcusable after yesterday's hearing.
She spent most of the rest of her time apologizing for not knowing answers to legislators' questions.
But the funniest line may have been when Audrey Haynes justified forcing men and infertile women to be covered for maternity care like this: "As a woman, I would say that I probably paid for tests that you have to take as a man that I pay for in my health insurance policy. And so, women have been unduly sort of penalized by having to get riders on their policies unless they have some terrific policy which is why we have always with Medicaid you could be up above the 38% of poverty, it went higher than that, for poor women who were pregnant because they, first of all it is expensive as we all know to have a child and so now we will all be able to share in that expense."
Well, that certainly clears that up. What is less clear is why not one single Frankfort reporter covered the hearing. Fortunately, there is video on KET. Click here to watch it under "March 11 Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee." The part about Medicaid starts twenty four minutes in and runs to the end.
There is no way Senate Republicans can justify putting this nonsense in the budget, which must be completed April 15. If House Democrats insist on wasting more money on ObamaCare -- and they might -- that means a budget stalemate that must be resolved with yet another special session before June 30. The fact this possibility has not been explored by a single reporter is inexcusable after yesterday's hearing.
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
More Beshear lying on Medicaid today
Kentucky Secretary of Health and Family Services Cabinet Secretary Audrey Haynes testified falsely to the Senate budget committee this afternoon that if (when) it becomes clear we can't afford the ObamaCare Medicaid expansion in our state, we will be able to opt out of the program then.
She said, again, that we can drop out later. There is nothing in the federal law to confirm this. Governor Beshear has not legally implemented the Medicaid expansion. The time to get out is now.
Also, Haynes said the Kentucky Health Benefit Exchange funding source has already been created so a new tax is not necessary to fund the exchange going forward. This is not true. HB 505 creates that funding source but there is no chance of the legislature passing HB 505.
This is about to get really fun and if you depend on the mainstream media for your news, you are missing it all.
She said, again, that we can drop out later. There is nothing in the federal law to confirm this. Governor Beshear has not legally implemented the Medicaid expansion. The time to get out is now.
Also, Haynes said the Kentucky Health Benefit Exchange funding source has already been created so a new tax is not necessary to fund the exchange going forward. This is not true. HB 505 creates that funding source but there is no chance of the legislature passing HB 505.
This is about to get really fun and if you depend on the mainstream media for your news, you are missing it all.
Madison likely not Kentucky ObamaCare hot spot
The ObamaCare talking point of the day is that the number of uninsured people in America is dropping precipitously, proving that ObamaCare works. Don't buy it.
Measuring the number of people without health insurance because they can't afford it has long been the holy grail of leftist orthodoxy, but not so much the stuff of demographic accuracy. In other words, it's all fake.
In Kentucky, Obamacrats put together a county-by-county list of uninsured Kentuckians made up of wild guesses. So when they report that Madison County ranks at the top of the state for ObamaCare compliance with 121% of the uninsured population covered on the Kentucky Health Benefit Exchange, ask for proof.
Measuring the number of people without health insurance because they can't afford it has long been the holy grail of leftist orthodoxy, but not so much the stuff of demographic accuracy. In other words, it's all fake.
In Kentucky, Obamacrats put together a county-by-county list of uninsured Kentuckians made up of wild guesses. So when they report that Madison County ranks at the top of the state for ObamaCare compliance with 121% of the uninsured population covered on the Kentucky Health Benefit Exchange, ask for proof.
Monday, March 10, 2014
ObamaCare's April Fool's joke on Kentucky
The most obvious failure of ObamaCare in Kentucky so far has been the large numbers of Kentuckians willing to face the possibility of tax penalties rather than purchase insurance on the "exchange." At the very most, eighty percent of those put on ObamaCare coverage in the state have been stuck in Medicaid and if you think that's bad, you haven't seen anything yet.
A little known fact is that after the ObamaCare open enrollment ends on March 31, the entire sales force associated with the Kentucky Health Benefit Exchange turns their attention one hundred percent to signing people up on Medicaid. That starts on April Fool's Day.
Despite Gov. Beshear's lie about that the federal government picking up the entire cost of Medicaid expansion for the first three years, the truth is the expansion busts our Medicaid budget immediately and this effort will only make it worse if it is allowed to continue.
Kentucky is already spending unappropriated Medicaid administration funds illegally and the state Senate appears to going squishy on the issue of throwing more money for this mess into the new budget. Please tell your state representative and senator not to fund the ObamaCare Medicaid expansion in the budget they start voting on this week.
A little known fact is that after the ObamaCare open enrollment ends on March 31, the entire sales force associated with the Kentucky Health Benefit Exchange turns their attention one hundred percent to signing people up on Medicaid. That starts on April Fool's Day.
Despite Gov. Beshear's lie about that the federal government picking up the entire cost of Medicaid expansion for the first three years, the truth is the expansion busts our Medicaid budget immediately and this effort will only make it worse if it is allowed to continue.
Kentucky is already spending unappropriated Medicaid administration funds illegally and the state Senate appears to going squishy on the issue of throwing more money for this mess into the new budget. Please tell your state representative and senator not to fund the ObamaCare Medicaid expansion in the budget they start voting on this week.
Are you paying attention?
Anyone who tells you the ObamaCare mess is permanent and the fight is over is either clueless or hopes you aren't paying attention. Even with squishy members of Congress neglecting to cut off the excessive spending required to keep the federal takeover of healthcare going, ObamaCare faces a very difficult 2014.
There are four federal lawsuits making their way to the U.S. Supreme Court challenging the ability of Obama and the IRS to tax and spend ObamaCare subsidies in states that refuse to set up an ObamaCare exchange. The Court already rejected the federal attempt to make Medicaid expansion mandatory. They did this by a 7-2 vote. The law clearly states there are to be ObamaCare subsidies only in states with state-run exchanges. Three dozen states refused to set up an exchange and the law collapses without them.
Better, Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear has tried to illegally force an unwilling Kentucky into a state-run exchange. House Bill 505 wouldn't even make it legal, though it does try. This bill has no chance of passage even, I think, in the Democratic majority state House. But it certainly has no chance in the Senate. A state legal challenge is headed to the Kentucky Supreme Court based on clear legal language requiring legislative approval which has not and will not be granted. Fixing this will put Kentucky with the vast majority of states smart enough to opt out.
Beshear also illegally implemented the ObamaCare Medicaid expansion in Kentucky. A separate state court legal challenge can soon set this right, too.
Any questions?
There are four federal lawsuits making their way to the U.S. Supreme Court challenging the ability of Obama and the IRS to tax and spend ObamaCare subsidies in states that refuse to set up an ObamaCare exchange. The Court already rejected the federal attempt to make Medicaid expansion mandatory. They did this by a 7-2 vote. The law clearly states there are to be ObamaCare subsidies only in states with state-run exchanges. Three dozen states refused to set up an exchange and the law collapses without them.
Better, Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear has tried to illegally force an unwilling Kentucky into a state-run exchange. House Bill 505 wouldn't even make it legal, though it does try. This bill has no chance of passage even, I think, in the Democratic majority state House. But it certainly has no chance in the Senate. A state legal challenge is headed to the Kentucky Supreme Court based on clear legal language requiring legislative approval which has not and will not be granted. Fixing this will put Kentucky with the vast majority of states smart enough to opt out.
Beshear also illegally implemented the ObamaCare Medicaid expansion in Kentucky. A separate state court legal challenge can soon set this right, too.
Any questions?
Sunday, March 09, 2014
Beshear Death Spiral already baked in
With less than three weeks before the end of ObamaCare open enrollment in Kentucky, the President's target rate for exchange sales to young people ages 18 to 34 is hopelessly out of reach. So far in Kentucky, barely 22 percent of those enrolled in private health plans belong to that key demographic, while the official estimate needed to avoid a catastrophic death spiral for exchange insurers is 40 percent.
Gov. Beshear has been hiding this failure by reporting coverage of young people to include children under 18 and young people on Medicaid. In doing so, Beshear provided a distorted view of marketplace activity. Children under 18 are not part of the coveted so-called "young invincibles " and so Gov. Beshear's misleading claim that 48 percent of enrollees are under 35 does almost nothing to prevent older and sicker policyholders from quickly driving up insurance premiums in ObamaCare.
The figures in this report were provided by the Beshear administration (click here for proof).
Gov. Beshear has been hiding this failure by reporting coverage of young people to include children under 18 and young people on Medicaid. In doing so, Beshear provided a distorted view of marketplace activity. Children under 18 are not part of the coveted so-called "young invincibles " and so Gov. Beshear's misleading claim that 48 percent of enrollees are under 35 does almost nothing to prevent older and sicker policyholders from quickly driving up insurance premiums in ObamaCare.
The figures in this report were provided by the Beshear administration (click here for proof).
Saturday, March 08, 2014
"Public option" only insurer making ObamaCare sales
Governor Steve Beshear reports federally funded Kentucky Health Cooperative is the only health insurer in the state to make its projected ObamaCare sales numbers for 2014 as open enrollment nears its mandated end.
According to Beshear, the Cooperative has sold over 40,000 policies after predicting sales of 19,508. The credibility of the Governor's enrollment numbers is not very good, but in any event the Cooperative has made the most of their federal seed money and probably did outsell Anthem and Humana by a wide margin.
The Kentucky Health Cooperative is a new entity that was able to price their policies lower than their competitors thanks to a $58.8 million federal "loan" granted at their founding. It's too early to tell if the Cooperative has gained enough real customers to benefit from the horrible results of their competitors.
According to Beshear, the Cooperative has sold over 40,000 policies after predicting sales of 19,508. The credibility of the Governor's enrollment numbers is not very good, but in any event the Cooperative has made the most of their federal seed money and probably did outsell Anthem and Humana by a wide margin.
The Kentucky Health Cooperative is a new entity that was able to price their policies lower than their competitors thanks to a $58.8 million federal "loan" granted at their founding. It's too early to tell if the Cooperative has gained enough real customers to benefit from the horrible results of their competitors.
Friday, March 07, 2014
Humana crushed by Kentucky ObamaCare
Humana Health Plans said last summer they expected to have 34,630 Kentucky ObamaCare health customers all twelve months of 2014. With three weeks left in open enrollment for the year, they have slightly more than 6500, according to Gov. Steve Beshear.
In a filing with the Kentucky Department of Insurance last summer, a Humana actuary predicted Kentucky's individual health insurance market would grow by 58.4% in 2014.
In a filing with the Kentucky Department of Insurance last summer, a Humana actuary predicted Kentucky's individual health insurance market would grow by 58.4% in 2014.
KY ObamaCare devastates Anthem Health Plans
Anthem expected to provide twelve months of health insurance coverage to more than 172,000 ObamaCare plan purchasing Kentuckians in 2014 at an average monthly premium of $342.25, according to a filing with the Kentucky Department of Insurance obtained through an open records request. They were only off by about 96%.
Anthem has sold fewer than 7100 ObamaCare policies on the Kentucky "exchange" since October 1, 2013, according to Governor Steve Beshear, and only three weeks remain in the 2014 ObamaCare open enrollment.
"The individual market is expected to grow by approximately forty percent," said Carmen Laudenschlager of Anthem in an email dated August 16, 2013. "Additionally, many of the healthiest members in the current Individual market are likely to drop coverage in 2014, due to rate shock. These shifts would bring the expected Individual morbidity in 2014 more in line with the current Small Group experience.
Hope Carmen's job didn't depend on that little prediction. Anthem has been the largest individual health insurer in Kentucky for many years.
Anthem has sold fewer than 7100 ObamaCare policies on the Kentucky "exchange" since October 1, 2013, according to Governor Steve Beshear, and only three weeks remain in the 2014 ObamaCare open enrollment.
"The individual market is expected to grow by approximately forty percent," said Carmen Laudenschlager of Anthem in an email dated August 16, 2013. "Additionally, many of the healthiest members in the current Individual market are likely to drop coverage in 2014, due to rate shock. These shifts would bring the expected Individual morbidity in 2014 more in line with the current Small Group experience.
Hope Carmen's job didn't depend on that little prediction. Anthem has been the largest individual health insurer in Kentucky for many years.
Thursday, March 06, 2014
Men or mice ObamaCare update
Following up on today's earlier post (click here), I called again to Jodi Whitaker in the Senate President's office just now and she said she didn't know Republican leadership's position on providing funding for ObamaCare.
I asked if she could find out and let me know and she assured me that she would.
I'll withhold further comment on this for now for no good reason whatsoever, but that won't last long.
I asked if she could find out and let me know and she assured me that she would.
I'll withhold further comment on this for now for no good reason whatsoever, but that won't last long.
Will Kentucky Senate be men or mice on ObamaCare?
I just left a voicemail message with Kentucky Senate President Robert Stiver's press secretary Jodi Whitaker asking if the Senate Majority has taken a position on budget funding for the Kentucky Health Benefit Exchange or the optional Medicaid expansion under ObamaCare.
Waiting patiently for a response.
Please ask this question of your state Senator as well and post what you hear.
Waiting patiently for a response.
Please ask this question of your state Senator as well and post what you hear.
Wednesday, March 05, 2014
Devastating blow to Kentucky ObamaCare
House Speaker Greg Stumbo refused to grant the Kentucky ObamaCare bill a special waiver today so it could be heard in committee tomorrow. Time in the 2014 General Assembly now runs very short for the bill Gov. Beshear has been insisting in court for a year was not even necessary. His position is clearly contradicted by KRS 12.028.
If the legislature does not pass HB 505 or does not fund it in the budget by April 15, only a special session could possibly save Beshear's illegal implementation of ObamaCare, for which he has received national left-wing accolades. Stumbo's refusal today paints the clearest picture yet that sufficient support for ObamaCare in Kentucky does not exist.
Opponents of ObamaCare can now expect the ObamaCare bill to come up for a hearing in the House Health and Welfare Committee on Thursday, March 13 at noon in room 169 of the Capitol Annex in Frankfort. After the bill fails, Kentucky will default to the federal exchange which is being challenged in multiple federal lawsuits because the clear language of the "Affordable Care Act" law allows tax subsidies only in exchanges run by states.
If the legislature does not pass HB 505 or does not fund it in the budget by April 15, only a special session could possibly save Beshear's illegal implementation of ObamaCare, for which he has received national left-wing accolades. Stumbo's refusal today paints the clearest picture yet that sufficient support for ObamaCare in Kentucky does not exist.
Opponents of ObamaCare can now expect the ObamaCare bill to come up for a hearing in the House Health and Welfare Committee on Thursday, March 13 at noon in room 169 of the Capitol Annex in Frankfort. After the bill fails, Kentucky will default to the federal exchange which is being challenged in multiple federal lawsuits because the clear language of the "Affordable Care Act" law allows tax subsidies only in exchanges run by states.
"Waive" bye-bye to Speaker Greg Stumbo
The leading ObamaCare proponent in the Kentucky legislature has been begging House Speaker Greg Stumbo to rush through his bill to give his bill to make the federal healthcare takeover legal. So far, Stumbo doesn't seem to be going for it.
House Bill 505 would ratify Gov. Beshear's executive order creating the Kentucky Health Benefit Exchange, dealing a blow to the legal challenge against Beshear's order and creating a possibility that Kentucky's ObamaCare exchange will survive legally past the end of the fiscal year.
Rep. Tom Burch filed HB 505 last Friday and wants to sneak in a hearing on the bill tomorrow before opponents can mobilize for a noon meeting of the House Health and Welfare Committee. For that to happen, Stumbo would need to waive a three day posting requirement in the committee today. Posting wavers require a voice vote on the House floor, which would ostensibly pull all the House Democrats on the record in favor of ObamaCare. Most of the House Democrats do not want to go on record in favor of ObamaCare.
Stumbo could call the voice vote and then rule however he wants, so the unpopularity of ObamaCare isn't a certain stumbling block to this happening today. But it isn't at all likely Stumbo wants to die on this hill. If he gives ObamaCare a thumbs up today, his chances of maintaining a Democratic majority in the House fall to zero.
Stumbo's chances of clinging to power after November are probably nonexistent anyway, but a procedural move for ObamaCare today would cinch it.
House Bill 505 would ratify Gov. Beshear's executive order creating the Kentucky Health Benefit Exchange, dealing a blow to the legal challenge against Beshear's order and creating a possibility that Kentucky's ObamaCare exchange will survive legally past the end of the fiscal year.
Rep. Tom Burch filed HB 505 last Friday and wants to sneak in a hearing on the bill tomorrow before opponents can mobilize for a noon meeting of the House Health and Welfare Committee. For that to happen, Stumbo would need to waive a three day posting requirement in the committee today. Posting wavers require a voice vote on the House floor, which would ostensibly pull all the House Democrats on the record in favor of ObamaCare. Most of the House Democrats do not want to go on record in favor of ObamaCare.
Stumbo could call the voice vote and then rule however he wants, so the unpopularity of ObamaCare isn't a certain stumbling block to this happening today. But it isn't at all likely Stumbo wants to die on this hill. If he gives ObamaCare a thumbs up today, his chances of maintaining a Democratic majority in the House fall to zero.
Stumbo's chances of clinging to power after November are probably nonexistent anyway, but a procedural move for ObamaCare today would cinch it.
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