Sean Bielat’s the ex-democrat once Sarah Palin endorsed tea party republican who lost to the incumbent Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) in 2010. Or as Sean’s website puts it: “Sean’s campaign to retire Barney Frank and to represent Massachusetts 4th Congressional District received national attention. ” -I gather that’s because it was a National Congressional election… And what’s up with the lower case “n” in National? I don’t think I should have to remind a republican that if you really love your Country you CAPITALIZE EVERYTHING! As Barney Frank retires Sean finds himself caught in an on going republican primary with fellow ex-democrat Elizabeth Childs for the right to win a U.S Congressional battle with Joe Kennedy III for the Massachusetts 4th District.
While checking Sean’s website the other day I stumbled upon a funny bit of information. You see, Sean is a stanch opponent of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, he calls it Obamacare. I call it terrorism… when I’m picking up chicks at Tea Party rallies. Being a staunch opponent of it I thought Sean would know a little something about it, but to my surprise his own “Health Care Solutions” mirror some key provisions in the most hated Health Care Bill of all time.
- “Allowing interstate competition to decrease costs and increase consumer choice”
- “Increasing price transparency so consumers are aware of the costs associated with different providers and treatment options.”
(not a summary of Sean Bielat’s entire Health Care platform. Just the first two points… still says a lot.)
As Senior Fellow at the Urban Institute Linda J Blumberg illustrates here:
“The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) does include provisions that will allow the purchasing of health insurance across state lines. However, these provisions are structured somewhat differently than earlier proposals advocated by some members of Congress and Senator John McCain during his 2008 presidential run. The differences are intended to protect states with more consumer protections from having those regulations undermined by cross-state sales of health insurance.”
And here (PDF):
“The provisions for selling insurance coverage across state lines included in the new health care reform law will be different in important ways from these earlier proposals. The interstate compact provisions in PPACA that will permit some cross-state sales of insurance are intended to create competition among health plans across state lines, streamline regulation, reduce health insurance costs, and increase the choice of products offered to consumers.3 The two most important differences between PPACA compact provisions and earlier interstate sales provisions are that:
(1) PPACA requires all states to comply with a minimum level of insurance regulation; consequently, insurers cannot avoid the federal minimums by domiciling in one state and selling in another; and
(2) Cross-state sales will not be permitted in a state unless that state affirmatively joins a compact with one or more other states.”
As the National Association of Insurance Commissioners points out here:
“Interstate Compacts: Beginning in 2016, two or more states may enter into interstate compacts to facilitate the sale of health insurance policies across state lines. Insurers would be able to sell policies in all compacting states using the laws and regulations of a primary state. Certain consumer protection laws in the purchaser’s home state would continue to apply, however.”
And as the Kaiser Foundation points out here:
“Permit states to form health care choice compacts and allow insurers to sell policies in any state participating in the compact. Insurers selling policies through a compact would only be subject to the laws and regulations of the state where the policy is written or issued, except for rules pertaining to market conduct, unfair trade practices, network adequacy, and consumer protections. Compacts may only be approved if it is determined that the compact will provide coverage that is at least as comprehensive and affordable as coverage provided through the state Exchanges. (Regulations issued by July 1, 2013, compacts may not take effect before January 1, 2016)”
So it appears that in 2016 there will be a standard set of coverages that multiple states can sign on to and participate in, thus creating cross-state insurance compacts. Sean Bielat doesn’t seem to realize that States first need to have universal minimum level of insurance before offering these insurance compacts in order to avoid people from one state abusing the system by accessing health care their plans don’t cover in a different state.
Sean’s solutions also include a transparency pledge that has already been implemented. As Blue Cross Blue Shield notes in their Detailed Summary-Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: (Click image to enlarge)
Cigna also highlights the inclusion of uniform transparency in a handy and colorful info-graphic:
I know MA Republicans have a history of “borrowing” platform points from other politicians, so it would be easy to accuse Sean of plagiarism, after all they’re great ideas so I wouldn’t blame him. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt though: either Sean Bielat doesn’t know what’s in Obamacare or he’s purposefully lying to voters in his home State. Using the most up to date technology I contacted Sean Bielat’s Campaign to point out this ignorant oversight that exemplifies the sheer hypocrisy of the those who oppose the “ObamaCare.” (I badgered @bielatpress on Twitter) and got this response:
- I always do!
