As of right now, President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and political appointees are currently exempt from the healthcare insurance exchange. But U.S. Senator David Vitter is looking to change that with an amendment he has filed.

Sen. Vitter introduced the amendment to the Marketplace Fairness Act to reiterate that Members of Congress and their staff must enroll into the ObamaCare exchanges and would also eliminate a loophole exempting the President, Vice President, political appointees and some Congressional staff from being forced into the health care insurance exchange.

“Jaws dropped all over the country when they heard that the folks who wrote Obamacare are trying to exempt themselves from the most expensive part – the insurance exchange,” Vitter said. “It’s unfair and downright arrogant for the architects of Obamacare to say, we know how bad this will be for you, so we’re leaving ourselves out.”

This comes as it was learned today that the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, the agency in charge of implementing Obamacare, is being spared from sequestration cuts and furloughs, according to FOX News. Director Gary Cohen says his office has not been forced to cut worker hours because of across-the-board spending cuts. Cohen does point out, however, that his office is under a hiring freeze, saying it still puts them in a difficult place.

Charles Boustany offical photo
Charles Boustany offical photo
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Meanwhile, last week, U.S. Congressman Charles Boustany introduced a bill that he says would lower the costs of healthcare for millions of Americans. He says the Medical FSA (Flexible Spending Arrangements) Improvement Act of 2013 would allow Americans to set aside pre-tax dollars to pay for rising out-of-pocket expenses associated with medical care.

“This bipartisan legislation lowers costs associated with medical care by making it easier for Americans to plan and save for their health-care needs using FSAs," says Boustany. "The legislation makes FSAs easier to use by eliminating a government regulation forcing workers to forfeit all of their remaining FSA funds to an employer at the end of the year. One in four FSA participants suffers forfeitures every year. This bureaucratic rule discourages millions of individuals from benefiting from FSAs."

“Even President Obama’s top cabinet officials concede health costs will rise under regulations the Administration is writing. This legislation provides a practical solution for American families by allowing them to keep more of their hard-earned money in their pockets during this tough economic climate.”

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