To the Editor:
In his letter published last week, Rep. Devin tries to make the case for expanding Medicaid. He wrote that “the Federal government would be paying for 100 percent of costs for the new Medicaid recipients for the first three years, gradually declining to no less than 90 percent of costs by the year 2020.”
This is the same government whose president announced that by the end of his first term that premiums for typical families would drop by up to $2500. Did yours drop?
This is the same government who said that if you liked your healthcare plan you can keep it. That has been proven false. If you like your doctor? You can keep her or him. Nope.
The president arbitrarily and unilaterally postponed the part of the law involving the business mandate for one year. It is part of the law that he and the Democratic Congress passed, yet was avoided.
So what would lead anyone to believe that the government has to, or will fund new recipients?
The track record of broken promises suggests that Mainers will be left holding the bag-and paying higher taxes and or premiums to fund this disaster, especially since there is no verification for subsidies required until “at least 2015.”
The House of Representatives has passed a bill delaying the individual mandate for a year. This is the same delay as businesses received. No more, no less.
Mr. Obama and the Democratic leadership have said they will not negotiate on Obamacare. The Democrats and their friends in the media will blame the Republicans for a shutdown. This is not true – all the Republicans (and some Democrats) ask is that everyone plays by the same rules.
Ask yourself this question-then ask your elected representatives:
“Why don’t the Democrats want me to have the same rules as business? What is fair about individuals having to meet a deadline that business and Congress don’t have to deal with? Why shouldn’t we be treated as fairly?”
