8 Headlines This Week That Gave Democrats Headaches
House Democrats – and ObamaCare – had another really bad week. ObamaCare is canceling millions of seniors Medicare Advantage plans; yet another delay in the law is causing even its liberal defenders to throw their hands into the air; Democrat candidates are actually defending the CBO report that the law will cause millions of Americans to work less; and even Nancy Pelosi’s own Super PAC is launching TV ads attacking ObamaCare.
Here are just 8 of this week’s political stories that are giving House Democrats headaches.
1. ObamaCare Is Being Sued By Seattle Children’s Hospital Because The Law Blocks Them From Caring For Kids
Kate Fink, a 4-year-old girl from Washington State who faced a ruptured ear drum, was recommended by her doctor to see a specialist at Seattle Children’s Hospital. At first, her insurer through Washington’s state ObamaCare exchange authorized the care. Just four days later though, Kate’s mother, Sarah, received a notice saying that her coverage was being denied, because the Seattle Children’s Hospital was out-of-network. “These families bought insurance thinking that their children were going to be covered,” a doctor with Seattle Children’s Hospital said, “and in fact it’s a false promise.” Only 2 of the 7 plans offered on the ObamaCare exchange include coverage at Seattle Children’s Hospital, a major provider for specialized child care in Washington state.
2. Former CBO Director: 26% of Seniors Have Had Medicare Advantage Plans Cancelled Thanks to ObamaCare
We already know if you like your plan, you can’t keep it under ObamaCare. America’s seniors are starting to realize that the negative effects of the law apply to them, too. ObamaCare’s egregious cuts to Medicare included $156 billion in direct cuts to Medicare Advantage plans. So far, only 4% of those cuts have taken effect, but as many as 26% of seniors on Medicare Advantage have been informed that their plans have been cancelled or in some cases have been told that those plans no longer operate at all in their region.
3. 6 Things You Need To Know About The New House Report On The White House’s Treatment of Benghazi Attack
The House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the House Armed Services Committee released its new report Tuesday evaluating the Obama Administration’s preventive preparation for and response to the September 11, 2012 terrorist attacks in Benghazi.
4. This Piece Titled “Why I’m Getting Sick Of Defending ObamaCare” Explains How Bad a Position Democrats Are In
The latest delay in ObamaCare is causing severe problems among the law’s rank-and-file defenders. “It’s getting difficult and slinking toward impossible to defend the Affordable Care Act,” National Journal’s Ron Fournier writes. “The White House has politicized its signature policy.” Fournier points out that the “win-at-all-cost mentality helped create a culture” that led to the development of a “dishonest talking point.” Then, the multi-billion dollar website failure “revealed an epidemic of incompetence that began in the Oval Office and ended with no accountability.”
5. Democrat Alex Sink: ObamaCare Causing Americans To Work Fewer Hours An “Exciting Prospect”
6. Unbelievable. ObamaCare Site Scheduled To Be Shut Down On National Youth Enrollment Day
It would be pretty hard to make this up, but we can bill this as yet another massive, incompetent failure of HealthCare.gov. This Saturday is National Youth Enrollment Day for ObamaCare, a series of concerts, rallies, and online campaigns nation-wide intended to convince more young people to sign up for ObamaCare. The problem? HealthCare.gov is scheduled to be shut down for maintenance that same day.
7. This New Poll Is Bad News For Obama’s Attempt To Bypass Congress
A new Fox News poll out this week should pour cold water over President Obama’s attempts to take action on key issues “with or without Congress.” 60% of voters said that they disapproved of President Obama going around Congress by using executive orders.
8. You Won’t Believe How Nancy Pelosi’s Super PAC Is Defending Democrats
Looks like House Majority PAC is at it again. Nancy Pelosi’s SuperPAC is out with a new ad defending Florida Congressman Joe Garcia in a new ad that rips ObamaCare. This Miami Herald headline says it all – “Dems House Majority PAC bashes Republicans? Nah. Obamacare, White House.”