Health Care Reform - Obamacare
National Reports
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November 01, 2011
The battle over the Exchange is raging right now in Wisconsin. This document shows the plans for the Wisconsin Health Insurance Exchange and has a particularly descriptive photo of the intrusive "Complex Data Environment" required if States decide to install a federal exchange in their state in compliance with Obamacare. Unprecedented data sharing with the federal government would take place in the Exchange before individuals would be allowed to purchase health insurance through the exchange. Many employers may decide to send their employees to the exchange. The exchange is also intended to "police" the Obamacare mandate to purchase health insurance, now being challenged in the courts.
Minnesota Reports
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November 01, 2011
The 2011 Minnesota House GOP proposes passing the Obamacare Health Insurance Exchange into law. This CCHF document provides the legislature with seven reasons to say "no."
Press Releases
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October 31, 2011
In response to today's "Establishing a Vision for Health Care Reform in Minnesota" Executive Order signed and issued by Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton, Twila Brase, president of Citizens' Council for Health Freedom, the organization which defeated the Governor's proposed Health Insurance Exchange last session, makes the following statement:
"Governor Dayton has overreached his executive authority and wronged the Minnesota public. The Governor does not have authority to implement the federal health care reform law. In moving Obamacare forward in Minnesota without legislative authority, Governor Dayton is following federal law, not state law. This is a violation of his powers and responsibilities under the Minnesota constitution. The Minnesota legislature did not grant the governor authority to implement or spend federal funds to implement Obamacare...
Press Releases
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October 21, 2011
St. Paul, Minn.—A key part of the controversial health care debate in the U.S. is that of “essential health benefits,” or the categories of services that every insurance plan will be required to cover under the health reform law.
Press Releases
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October 05, 2011
St. Paul, Minn.—The Obama administration has asked the Supreme Court to rule on the constitutionality of the 2010 controversial health care act and uphold the plan, also known as Obamacare.
Public Comments
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September 27, 2011
Citizens' Council for Health Freedom opposes this proposed federal rule, particularly the sweeping data collection plan, the mandate to create “risk scores” on individuals, the redistribution of funds that will likely lead to rationing of care, the fuzzy math that is “risk adjustment”, the “risk corridors” that will facilitate fuzzy math and fund transfers, and the power of the federal government to mandate reinsurance contributions by States.
Public Comments
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September 21, 2011
In general, CCHF is opposed to the proposed exchange regulation, which requires States to set up a federal structure by which the federal government will control virtually all facets of health care nationwide (coverage and care). We conclude our public comments by asking HHS to withdraw the entire rule.
National Reports
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September 13, 2011
The September 8 ruling from the Fourth Circuit contains a surprisingly long list of individuals and organizations that support or oppose the Virginia lawsuit. The list provides an instructive, although not complete, view of the forces for and against repeal of Obamacare, including organizations, individuals, labor unions, university professors, states, and members of Congress.
Some State legislators believe a federally-approved Exchange established by the State will be better than a federally- imposed Exchange established by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). However, the federal law makes it clear that every Exchange must conform to federal requirements, including pending regulations. Thus, a “State Exchange” is actually an imposed Federal Exchange. Some might call it a "lobster trap" for States - once in, there's no getting out.
Obamacare requires States to set up federal command and control centers over health insurance and medical care. These centers are called "American Health Benefit Exchanges" or "Health Insurance Exchanges" for short. The data infrastructure will monitor citizen compliance with the unconstitutional mandate to purchase health insurance. The first set of federal exchange regulations include the word "require" 811 times. The Minnesota legislature said "no" to the Exchange, but Governor Dayton is using more than $5 million from the federal government to build it.