WTF??? NJ loses $7.6 million in Obamacare aid as grant expires

[malaise]

http://www.northjersey.com/news/New_Jerseys_76M_grant_for_marketing_marketplace_for_Obamacare_expires_without_plan.html#sthash.rMcTxu7K.dpuf
<snip>
New Jersey’s insurance commissioner sought an 11th hour reprieve from the federal government as a $7.6-million grant for marketing the new insurance marketplace under the Affordable Care Act was due to sunset on Wednesday.

Insurance Commissioner Kenneth E. Kobylowski asked for “reconsideration and flexibility… to repurpose this grant in a manner that best meets our state’s needs,” in a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sibelius.

But it was too little too late.

“Unfortunately the state has yet to send us a request to re-scope their grant for any allowable activities,” said Courtney Jenkins, a spokeswoman for the federal health and human services department. Federal officials said the grant would expire at the close of business on Thursday if New Jersey did not put forward an acceptable plan.
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Sorry Christie - the old F word is still the old F word - fuck you!

[malaise]

1. This

Last edited Fri Feb 21, 2014, 03:45 PM - Edit history (1)

[okaawhatever]

11. The link didn't work for me. Can you check it? Thx nt

[malaise]

12. Fixed

[okaawhatever]

13. Thanks love it. nt

[ProSense]

2. That corrupt asshole

“There is total silence on anything marketplace-related on the part of the (Christie) administration,” said Maura Collinsgru, health care advocate for New Jersey Citizen Action. “For Christie, it’s political — but for the uninsured, it’s life and death.” -

...didn't set up an exchange (we're on the federal) and isn't doing shit to promote the exchange.

[factsarenotfair]

3. This might be a good thing--it means less money to throw at his cronies.

For example, it might have been given to a law firm to "study how to sign people up."

[malaise]

4. Good point

[factsarenotfair]

6. The question with Christie is whether cronyism trumps right-wing ideology,

and I don't know enough about him to guess.

[bettyellen]

5. "repurpose this grant in a manner that best meets our state’s needs,”

oh jeeze- cant wait to see the tally on how much Fed money he turned down. IDIOT!!

[Laxman]

7. His Political Posturing...

has real world consequences for NJ's citizens. Just like every other self-promoting, self-aggrandizing move he's made.

The crux of the dispute appeared to be over Medicaid costs. While the state largely wanted to use the money to support expansion of the state’s Medicaid program, federal officials maintained that the grant must be used more directly to support the ACA insurance marketplace.

The state received the grant in February 2012 for use in building a state insurance exchange. After Gov. Chris Christie announced a year later that the state would opt for a federal insurance marketplace, rather than a state-run one, state and federal officials began discussions about how the money could be spent.

you can read more here: http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/14/02/21/nj-loses-nearly-8-million-in-standoff-over-affordable-care-act-funds/

When I went to sign up for the ACA, as a NJ resident my choices were limited. I still found an acceptable plan on the federal exchange, but next door in NY, they have all kinds of choices and lower prices. But the now trashed national hopes of our governor got in the way of the good of NJ's residents. I'm so pleased for him.

[Auntie Bush]

8. Proof he can't run around the country begging for money and

govern at the same time. It's his fault NJ lost those much needed funds.

[malaise]

10. Precisely

[bullwinkle428]

9. The day after the corrupt mf-er blames the federal gov't. for the Sandy aid delay.