Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Grassley Amendment (#3564) on POTUS in the Exchange

Senator Grassley has offered an amendment (#3564) regarding Exchange eligibility for the President and other senior executive branch officers.
Summary:
  • The amendment re-writes Section 1312 of the health law to make the President, Vice President, Members of Congress, political appointees (including Executive Service, Senior Executive Service, and Schedule C personnel), as well as congressional staff eligible to purchase coverage through the Exchange, and requires that federal health benefits to these officials may be provided only through the Exchange.
Considerations:
  • The health law requires health benefits for Members of Congress and their personal office staff to be provided through the Exchange instead of FEHBP effective in 2014 (when the Exchanges take effect).  The amendment would expand that provision to include all employees paid by the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House.
  • President Obama has publicly advertised that his reforms would give members of the public the same coverage available to Members of Congress.  This amendment would ensure that he, his successors, and all his appointed political officials would also have the same coverage members of the public enrolled in the Exchange receive.