Government Programs

Really, Mr. President?

Actions speak louder than words. Who was President Obama trying to convince otherwise in his inaugural speech? ... Obama quoted our founding documents. He attested their significance. He even mentioned "Republic" once. Three times he mentioned "founding" (founding creed, founding principles, founding documents). Five times he said, "We the people." And although he referenced Newtown, he never mentioned his 23 executive orders on guns, mental health or curtailing the Second Amendment. 

Reality #1: Not A Marketplace

The “Minnesota Insurance Marketplace” in Senate File 1/House File 5 is not competitive, limits citizens’ choice of health insurance options, expands government dependency (premium subsidies for middle class/Medicaid expansion), is managed by unelected state workers, is under federal control (law/regulations), and operates through the online transfer of vast quantities of personal data on individuals from state and federal government.  

Minnesota Health Insurance Exchange Diagram

Minnesota Legislation: Senate File 1/ House File 5

Adding Minnesotans to “the largest consolidation of personal data in the history of the republic” - USA TODAY

AHA Sues Medicare for Sweeping Denials of Payment

The Complaint: "Plaintiffs the American Hospital Association, Missouri Baptist Sullivan Hospital, Munson Medical Center, Lancaster GEneral Hospital, and Trinity Health Corporation ("Plaintiffs") bring this action to end an unlawful government practice: The Medicare program has been refusing to pay hospitals for hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of care provided to patients, even though all agree tha tthe care provided was reasonable and medically necessary as the Medicare Act requires. The government's refusal to pay for this care is harming hospitals and patients. More pertinent here, it violates the Medicare Act and is otherwise unlawful. Plaintiffs seek a declaration to that effect as well as monetary and other relief." - AHA, et. al. vs Kathleen Sebelius, HHS, November 1, 2012.

Lawsuit Against IRS Highlights Government Overreach of Affordable Care Act

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt filed an amended complaint to his lawsuit against the Affordable Care Act, alleging that a new IRS rule violates the Administrative Procedures Act and conflicts with the Affordable Care Act.

CCHF to Present Written Testimony to U.S. House

ST. PAUL, Minn. – On Wednesday, September 12, 2012, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means and its subcommittee on health will hold a hearing to learn more about the state implementation of health insurance exchanges. The Committee outlined in a hearing advisory that, without final guidelines from the Obama Administration on such issues as mandated benefits packages, expected enrollee costs, and other exchange-related information, uncertainty “threatens to saddle stakeholders with higher costs and also increases the risk of waste, fraud, and abuse.

Are the Feds Forcing Citizens to Accept Medicare?

ST. PAUL, Minn. – On August 24, 2012, a group of plaintiffs petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to hear their case, which alleges that the federal government is forcing citizens to accept Medicare Part A coverage, sometimes against their will. Using a rule-making manual called POMS... the Federal Government insists that any citizen who voluntarily turns down Medicare benefits must also be denied Social Security benefits earned throughout their lifetime of work, and that any Social Security benefits received must be paid back to the government upon denial of Medicare.

State Health Insurance Exchanges Will Impose Federal Control

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.

Will MN Task Force Support Obamacare or Freedom?

(St. Paul/Minneapolis) - Today, in anticipation of tomorrow's first meeting of the task force, and after researching the members of the newly appointed Minnesota Health Care Reform Task Force, Citizens' Council on Health Care (CCHC) releases a document containing statements and positions of members that may indicate support for ObamaCare or conflict with health freedom.

Obama's Berwick Appointment Shows Lack of Transparency

In response to today's recess appointment of Dr. Donald Berwick as administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Twila Brase, RN, PHN, president of Citizens' Council on Health Care, provides the following statement