Ohio healthcare exchange issues

This from Marianne at the Mansfield Tea Party:

There has been a lot of confusion about the decision made by Governor Kasich regarding state run health care exchanges.

While the statement ”Governor Kasich confirms that creation of Ohio's Obamacare exchange will be left to the Feds” is technically correct, it is also a bit misleading.

Yes, the Governor has rejected the state run exchanges, but the Governor has agreed to enter into what the federal government is calling a “partnership” or “hybrid” agreement.

This means that the federal government will run the exchanges, but Ohio will, supposedly, maintain its right to regulate its health insurance industry.

The issue with this plan is that Ohio still needs to submit a “blueprint” to the feds, for approval. In Governor Kasich's own statement he says, ”I am confident Ohio will meet federal standards to maintain its control of these responsibilities.”

Based on that statement, and history, it appears that the federal government will still be determining acceptable plans, minimums, etc., therefore, in my opinion, eliminating the “control” that the Governor is seeking to maintain.

ObamaCare has always been about control; and now we learn that the President has decided to levy fines on states that choose, legally, not to set up their own exchanges. With each passing day, more rules and regulations come into play; we're still trying to aim at a moving target. 

OHIO WILL NOT RUN AN OBAMACARE HEALTH EXCHANGE

Today is the deadline for states to opt in or out of the Obamacare exchanges. From Governor John Kasich's website, posted today:

OHIO WILL NOT RUN AN OBAMACARE HEALTH EXCHANGE: On Nov. 16, 2012 Gov. John Kasich notified the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that Ohio will not run an Obamacare health exchange in Ohio, but will instead leave that to the federal government to do. This decision was made after thoroughly investigating all options available to Ohio under the law, including conducting separate studies by the respected health policy research specialists Milliman, Inc. and the global business and information technology consultancy KPMG.

ABC reports more states are opting out:

On Thursday, South Carolina governor and rising Republican star Nikki Haley sent a letter to Sebelius on Thursday saying that South Carolina “should not and will not set up a state-based health care exchange.”

Several other Republican governors, including Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, a GOP leader who is frequently cited as a potential candidate in 2016, and Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley announced that their states would also not set up an exchange.

. . .

Under the law, if a state falls behind or opts not to set up the exchange, the federal government, specifically the Department of Health and Human Services, steps in and sets up the exchange. That would not likely be well-received by Republican governors either, but the law forces each state’s executive to make a decision one way or the other. “If the state decides not to establish an exchange, then the federal government establishes the exchange for them. So it’s kind of a pick-your-poison scenario, if you will,” said Renee M. Landers, a professor of law at Suffolk University Law School in Boston.  . . .

More battles ahead. 

  

Our Fight Continues

PRESS RELEASE November 7, 2012 For Immediate Release Contact: Marianne Gasiecki State Co-coordinator (OH) Tea Party Patriots (419) 961-4439

Our Fight Continues Ohio - November 7, 2012 - The campaign for President of the United States, that seemed to go on forever, is finally over. Tea Party Patriots and its affiliated groups have been working for over 3 1/2 years educating the American people about this great country's founding principles of Limited Government, Fiscal Responsibility and Free Markets, and although we've made great strides, we obviously have a lot more work to do "We have been working tirelessly, for months, in Cuyahoga County and other critical areas of Ohio, coordinating with multiple organizations in educating people about this administration's war on coal and it's slap in the face to Ohioans who voted against a healthcare mandate. We may have lost this battle, but we will continue to fight for the principles that made this country great" said Ralph King, Founder of the Cleveland Tea Party and Co-coordinator for Tea Party Patriots Ohio. "The Liberal machine has been very successful in devaluing the principles that made this country better than any other - principles of family, faith, personal responsibility, liberty, free enterprise - and will continue to push for a society dependent upon government, with little moral fiber." stated Marianne Gasiecki, Founder of the Mansfield Tea Party and State Co-coordinator for Tea Party Patriots (OH). "We will continue to fight, and fight boldly, for the principles that made our country great, because we believe this country is still worth fighting for." Tea Party Patriots is non-profit, non-partisan organization who's core principles are Fiscal Responsibility, Constitutionally Limited Government, and Free Markets # # #

Your Vote Counts

Bill Whittle on third-party voting

If you are thinking of voting for a third party presidential candidate, whether Gary Johnson or Jill Stein or Virgil Goode, etc.,
here's a 7½ minute video by Bill Whittle of PJTV explaining how voting-your-values will affect the election:

FINAL WEEKEND PUSH! Count On Coal

Tea Party Patriots continue to pound the pavement for liberty in Ohio. On Friday (tomorrow) and Saturday, there will be two more opportunities to go door-to-door canvassing.

Our friends at Count on Coal will be coming up with a busload of volunteers to join us again this weekend. Our focus areas will be Berea, Middleburg Heights, Seven Hills and several east side communities. Please join us for the following efforts:

Date: Friday (tomorrow/today), November 2nd
Time: Meet at 10 AM and canvass until 6 PM.
Meet-up location: Panera Bread, 6700 Rockside Road, Independence, OH 44131

Date: Saturday, November 3rd
Time: Meet at 9 AM and canvass until 6 PM.
Meet-up location: The 60 Plus Association / Brecksville Office, 7630 Chippewa Road, Brecksville, Ohio, 44141. Office is located behind the Shopping Plaza at the southeast corner of Chippewa Road (Route 82) & Brecksville Road (Route 21)

Even if you can just help for a few hours, please join us! It you are unable to walk, there are plenty of phone calls that still need to be made.

Spencer's October Surprise! Here's one future voter already getting out the vote!

Cleveland Tea Party Patriots does not endorse candidates, but we encourage all patriots to take action in campaigns and GOTV efforts. Here's a 30-second video of a ten-year old boy who is doing his part (h/t Monique)