Ted Cruz going on Obamacare

mbig · Mar 24, 2015

I can't believe this.
He declared his candidacy yesterday saying he was going to repeal every single word.
It may be mandatory, tho I see no reason he couldn't get private insurance and pay a penalty if required. That would be more consistent with his politics until now.
No, this is not April Fools, this is a real headline.

Ted Cruz going on Obamacare
By Dana Bash and MJ Lee, CNN
Updated 5:54 PM ET, Tue March 24, 2015
http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/24/politics/ted-cruz-obamacare/

[VIDEO interview with Dana Bash]

The newly announced Republican presidential candidate told CNN's Dana Bash on Tuesday that he will sign up for health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act -- a law he has been on a crusade to kill.

"We'll be getting new health insurance and we'll presumably do it through my job with the Senate, and so we'll be on the federal exchange with millions of others on the federal exchange," Cruz said.

Asked whether he would accept the government contribution available to lawmakers and congressional staffers for their health care coverage through the ACA, Cruz said he will "follow the text of the law."

"I strongly oppose the exemption that President Obama illegally put in place for members of Congress because (Senate Minority Leader) Harry Reid and the Senate Democrats didn't want to be under the same rules as the American people," Cruz said, before repeating: "I believe we should follow the text of the law."

Under the Affordable Care Act, members of Congress and some designated congressional staffers are required to obtain health care coverage through the D.C. Health Link Small Business Market. The Office of Personnel Management's guidelines state that lawmakers and their staff receive a "government contribution" if they get health care coverage through the ACA.

But some lawmakers have declined to accept the contribution, saying they do not want to get special treatment. After the interview, a Cruz spokesperson clarified that he wouldn't take the contribution.
[.......]

jmotivator · Mar 24, 2015

It is literally beyond belief. I mean I get the puppets, but what was the deal with all the remote control shark balloons? And seriously, no way he wasn't wearing a prosthetic.

Bob N · Mar 24, 2015

mbig said:
I can't believe this.
This might Kill his One day old Campaign.

Ted Cruz going on Obamacare
By Dana Bash and MJ Lee, CNN
Updated 5:54 PM ET, Tue March 24, 2015
Ted Cruz going on Obamacare - CNN.com

[VIDEO]

One thing is for sure. He is going to look pretty ridiculous harping on the Affordable Care Act while being on it. :roll:

TheDemSocialist · Mar 24, 2015

If anything, the GOP just needs to accept the ACA isnt going anywhere. I think generally most if not all of them believe this, but the vast majority of them wont come out an admit it because its way too good of a talking point their base has bought into.

solletica · Mar 24, 2015

mbig said:
I can't believe this.
He declared his candidacy yesterday saying he was going to repeal every single word.
It may be mandatory, tho I see no reason he couldn't get private insurance and pay a penalty if required. That would be more consistent with his politics until now.
No, this is not April Fools, this is a real headline.

Ted Cruz going on Obamacare

More taxpayers picking up the tab for a right wingnut's meds.

Risky Thicket · Mar 24, 2015

"It is a time for the truth." ~ Ted Cruz

23 March 2015

Mycroft · Mar 24, 2015

mbig said:
I can't believe this.
He declared his candidacy yesterday saying he was going to repeal every single word.
It may be mandatory, tho I see no reason he couldn't get private insurance and pay a penalty if required. That would be more consistent with his politics until now.
No, this is not April Fools, this is a real headline.

Ted Cruz going on Obamacare
By Dana Bash and MJ Lee, CNN
Updated 5:54 PM ET, Tue March 24, 2015
Ted Cruz going on Obamacare - CNN.com

[VIDEO interview with Dana Bash]

Wait...do I understand this correctly?

Cruz is being criticized for following the law?

That seems to be a strange thing for people to do...until one thinks about how these same people DON'T criticize politicians for NOT following the law.

uncleray · Mar 24, 2015

Would have preferred Mr. Cruz to take a stand and say "I'm against Obamacare which includes the plan for members of Congress. Therefore I'm exercising the freedom to choose my insurance and if I'm elected President, I will help you to do the same"

Thrilla · Mar 24, 2015

kinda weird seeing people bitch about congresscritters actually following the law :lol:

Moot · Mar 24, 2015

Oh man.....this is hilarious.

All those die hard, born-again conservatives that thought Cruz was the new messiah must be so disappointed. lol

ludin · Mar 24, 2015

mbig said:
I can't believe this.
He declared his candidacy yesterday saying he was going to repeal every single word.
It may be mandatory, tho I see no reason he couldn't get private insurance and pay a penalty if required. That would be more consistent with his politics until now.
No, this is not April Fools, this is a real headline.

Ted Cruz going on Obamacare
By Dana Bash and MJ Lee, CNN
Updated 5:54 PM ET, Tue March 24, 2015
Ted Cruz going on Obamacare - CNN.com

[VIDEO interview with Dana Bash]

This is an epic fail because if you knew what you were talking about then you would know that all congressmen are required to get obamacare.
it was part of the bill when it was passed.

why? because congress should have to get the same crappy healthcare that they want to give other people.

matchlight · Mar 24, 2015

I don't see what the issue is here. Sen. Cruz opposes both the act and the special treatment it provides for member of Congress. So, he plans to decline the special treatment and comply with the law as it now exists. Later, if he is elected president, he intends to do all he can to get the act repealed.

Thrilla · Mar 24, 2015

uncleray said:
Would have preferred Mr. Cruz to take a stand and say "I'm against Obamacare which includes the plan for members of Congress. Therefore I'm exercising the freedom to choose my insurance and if I'm elected President, I will help you to do the same"

that would be nice for the cameras, but in reality , it's an idea that would cost Cruz about 25-30,000 bucks a year.... as opposed to following the law and spending about $2,400.

it's a no- brainer.... even for a dude who I suspect of having no brain.

mbig · Mar 24, 2015

ludin said:
This is an Epic fail because if you knew what you were talking about then you would know that all congressmen are required to get obamacare.
it was part of the bill when it was passed.
why? because congress should have to get the same crappy healthcare that they want to give other people.

No.
You're an Epic Partisan.
I wasn't sure what he was required to do ("it MAY be mandatory") or if he had options, so that IS the way I posted it.
I'm reading now/another site, (only since the OP was posted) since his wife 'unpaid left' GOLDMAN SACHS to campaign with him, he had to do it (?) since he no longer had ins through his spouse.
Still not 100% Sure.
BTW, what's this "Renegades" wife doing at G-S!
Man, isn't that a bit early?

I am basically a centrist and my positions/likes-received/given reflect that.

The headline is just amazing/Well worth a Gasp in any case. The night after he cursed every word of ACA in his candidacy declaration.

OrphanSlug · Mar 24, 2015

This was a terrific catch 22 for Ted Cruz, it is sad how many of you jumped on the bandwagon for it. No matter how he was losing existing coverage he is faced with two options that both the left would use against him. Either go through the exchanges to obtain new coverage or forgo dealing with ACA altogether as a matter of protest, and no matter what he did the left was going to crucify him. He decided to adhere to the law, and the left goes wild... predictable and sad.

Fenton · Mar 24, 2015

Bob N said:
One thing is for sure. He is going to look pretty ridiculous harping on the Affordable Care Act while being on it. :roll:

Oops he obeyed the law !!! NOOOOOooo ! The horror...Lol

You libs aren't used to Politicians obeyingnlaws apparently.

sangha · Mar 24, 2015

Mycroft said:
Wait...do I understand this correctly?

Cruz is being criticized for following the law?

No, you don't

No, he is not.

Cruz is being criticized for buying through an exchange even though the law does not require him to do so. He can buy a plan on his own directly from an insurer.

Painter · Mar 24, 2015

Not that he ever had a chance to begin with...
But his mishandling of sound bytes has now sealed his fate.

Now that I think about it... it is quite ironic.
Normally Liberals have the facts on their side but get slapped around by sound bytes and imaging.
But this time it is a Republican who has facts on his side but is getting beat up by a one liner.
I love it lol...

catch22 · Mar 24, 2015

OrphanSlug said:
This was a terrific catch 22 for Ted Cruz, it is sad how many of you jumped on the bandwagon for it. No matter how he was losing existing coverage he is faced with two options that both the left would use against him. Either go through the exchanges to obtain new coverage or forgo dealing with ACA altogether as a matter of protest, and no matter what he did the left was going to crucify him. He decided to adhere to the law, and the left goes wild... predictable and sad.

Catch 22!! That's me! And yes I agree it was a very difficult situation for Cruz with no winning scenario.

Blemonds · Mar 24, 2015

mbig said:
I can't believe this.
He declared his candidacy yesterday saying he was going to repeal every single word.
It may be mandatory, tho I see no reason he couldn't get private insurance and pay a penalty if required. That would be more consistent with his politics until now.
No, this is not April Fools, this is a real headline.

Ted Cruz going on Obamacare
By Dana Bash and MJ Lee, CNN
Updated 5:54 PM ET, Tue March 24, 2015
Ted Cruz going on Obamacare - CNN.com

[VIDEO interview with Dana Bash]

If a local city councilman says he's going to fight a jaywalking law in the city, that doesn't mean he doesn't have to follow the law while it remains the law

Blemonds · Mar 24, 2015

Fenton said:
Oops he obeyed the law !!! NOOOOOooo ! The horror...Lol

You libs aren't used to Politicians obeying laws apparently.

That seems to be the problem

Dovkan · Mar 24, 2015

Oh, the hilarity.

mbig · Mar 24, 2015

Mycroft said:
Wait...do I understand this correctly?
Cruz is being criticized for following the law?
That seems to be a strange thing for people to do...until one thinks about how these same people DON'T criticize politicians for NOT following the law.

ludin said:
This is an epic fail because if you knew what you were talking about then you would know that all congressmen are required to get obamacare.
it was part of the bill when it was passed.
why? because congress should have to get the same crappy healthcare that they want to give other people.

matchlight said:
I don't see what the issue is here. Sen. Cruz opposes both the act and the special treatment it provides for member of Congress. So, he plans to decline the special treatment and comply with the law as it now exists. Later, if he is elected president, he intends to do all he can to get the act repealed.

OrphanSlug said:
This was a terrific catch 22 for Ted Cruz, it is sad how many of you jumped on the bandwagon for it. No matter how he was losing existing coverage he is faced with two options that both the left would use against him. Either go through the exchanges to obtain new coverage or forgo dealing with ACA altogether as a matter of protest, and no matter what he did the left was going to crucify him. He decided to adhere to the law, and the left goes wild... predictable and sad.

Blemonds said:
If a local city councilman says he's going to fight a jaywalking law in the city, that doesn't mean he doesn't have to follow the law while it remains the law

Actually, as I said, I wasn't sure he didn't have Options/it "MAY have been mandatory."
Now I'm reading he Did have other Choices:

Ted Cruz, who once spent 21 hours filibustering Obamacare, may sign up for Obamacare - Vox

Beyond his desire to obey the law, if Cruz surveyed the market for individual insurance, he'd probably learn pretty quickly that the exchange is almost certainly his best option.

He could sign up for coverage through COBRA, the law that requires employers to offer their employees health insurance for 18 months after they quit. If Cruz is the very optimistic type, he will need coverage for 20 months — from now until the election next November. So his coverage could, theoretically leave him short.

The other problem with COBRA: it's expensive. Typically, the employer and the employee split the price of an insurance premium. But former employees on COBRA pay the entire cost.

Cruz could buy individual market coverage Without using the exchange, although that shopping experience can be messy. Outside of the exchange, there's no central repository of health insurance plans that lets you explore different options. While Healthcare.gov did indeed have a disastrous launch, the website now is actually pretty good for comparing different plans.

Then there's the option of Not buying coverage at all and paying a Fine. This year, the Cruz family would pay either a $1,300 penalty for 2015 ($325 each for Cruz, his wife, and his two daughters) or 2 percent of their income, whichever is greater. That's likely cheaper than buying an insurance plan but also comes with the massive downside of remaining uninsured.

Finally, we come to the health insurance exchanges. If members of Congress want to get coverage through their job, Obamacare requires them to go to the marketplaces rather than the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. Members of Congress can get subsidies here for their health insurance, although Cruz has indicated he won't accept it.

"I strongly oppose the exemption that President Obama illegally put in place for members of Congress because (Senate Minority Leader) Harry Reid and the Senate Democrats didn't want to be under the same rules as the American people," Cruz told CNN.

Correction: This post initially stated the length of COBRA insurance. It is 18 months.

So, if the above is correct, and I believe it is, he could have signed up for Cobra quite easily, and unless the campaign goes unexpectedly well, he could Then have tried O'care, or Private.
O'care was just Cheaper I guess.
Is that Not a sell out of principles?

Mycroft · Mar 24, 2015

sangha said:
No, you don't

No, he is not.

Cruz is being criticized for buying through an exchange even though the law does not require him to do so. He can buy a plan on his own directly from an insurer.

Anyone can do that. And guess what? The plan he buys from an insurer won't be any different than what he gets from an exchange.

You guys are really scraping the bottom of the barrel looking for things to criticize him about.

Dovkan · Mar 24, 2015

Mycroft said:
Anyone can do that. And guess what? The plan he buys from an insurer won't be any different than what he gets from an exchange.

You guys are really scraping the bottom of the barrel looking for things to criticize him about.

It's not hard to criticize him... Just look at his views on climate change and the disrespect he gave to NASA members while discussing future funding.

Ted Cruz going on Obamacare

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Ted Cruz going on Obamacare

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