Texas health advisers blast new proposed rules

[TexasTowelie]

Source: AP

AUSTIN, Texas —

Counselors who help Texas residents up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act criticized proposed state rules Monday that would require them to undergo additional training and pay fees, saying the regulations would impede people from getting health care.

Texas Insurance Commissioner Julia Rathgeber held a public hearing on the rules who agency generated after Gov. Rick Perry called for stringent regulation of so-called navigators, whose job is to help people sign up for health insurance using new health care exchanges. Perry and other Republican leaders say the rules are needed to protect consumers from fraud and bad advice.

But state Sen. Kirk Watson, the Austin Democrat who wrote the law allowing the commissioner to draft rules, told Rathgeber, a Perry appointee, that the proposed regulations go too far. He specifically cited requirements that the navigators have 40 hours of training — in addition to the federally-required 20-30 hours, get liability insurance and pay fees for fingerprints, tests and classes.

"That kind of training requires real time and costs real money. Where did the additional 40 hour requirement come from exactly? Who is it truly meant to help?" Watson asked. "TDI has failed to provide any explanation although repeatedly requested to do."

Read more: http://www.statesman.com/ap/ap/legislative/critics-blast-proposed-rules-for-health-advisers/ncdP8/

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Later in the article, it states that the Department of Insurance estimates that the cost to obtain and retain a health navigator license at $800 each year. Federal law does not allow for the navigators to recoup those costs.

Cross-posted in the Texas Group.

[another_liberal]

1. The Republicans are really afraid of Obamacare's growing success.

They are also digging their own political graves by working to deny poor and middle class Americans the affordable health coverage they so desperately need.

[freshwest]

2. What happened to the 'unfunded regulations' whiners? Now they want regulation? No, it's obstruction.

[Maraya1969]

3. Could they be anymore obvious? I would be ashamed if I did that.

They are like little obnoxious children without the excuse of being a child.

[jsr]

4. Rathgeber formerly served as deputy chief of staff in the Office of Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst

http://www.txdirectory.com/online/person/?id=20957

[TexasTowelie]

5. It isn't difficult to determine which side she is going to align with on this decision.

She is already bought and paid for by the Perry administration.

[DhhD]

6. With the ACA in place, the Spirit of the Law is to provide Patient Protection. IMO these state

requirements then breaks Public Law 111 - 148. The Justice Department of the US should file suit to have PL 111-148 implemented as Congress envisioned.

[sheshe2]

7. They just don't give up!

Yup. Sure. Like they really care about the consumer.

Perry and other Republican leaders say the rules are needed to protect consumers from fraud and bad advice.

[christx30]

8. My mom was hired

to become a navigator. She is saying that she is only getting paid for 30 hours for the training that she's getting. Perry and crew are sabotaging this process. What are they afraid of, if it's going to be such a disaster?

ETA:

Later, Republican Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst proclaimed his support for the regulations.

"In addition to the threat Obamacare poses to state and family budgets, the currently unregulated, unscreened cadre of navigators descending on Texas could pose a threat to our citizens' personal safety," he said in a statement.

OMG!!! Merciless navigators are coming to Texas to rob and kill our poor, innocent people that just want health insurance! Barbarians at the gate!

[DhhD]

9. The United Way of Tarrant County Texas received the largest grant in the nation to train

ACA navigators. Is there really a cadre of navigators descending on Texas? Just another lie to cover Republicans standing in the Shade of Dirty Deals. Republicans care nothing about the health and welfare of the people of this state. ACA made insurance companies return overcharges to Texans. So the citizens know that the Republican Establishment stands for allowing insurance companies to rip people off.

http://healthcare.dmagazine.com/2013/08/15/united-way-of-tarrant-county-gets-nations-largest-navigator-grant/

The United Way of Texas is an organization with state, business and community initiatives:

http://www.uwtexas.org/

Apparently Republicans in Texas have abandoned state responsibility, business and community actions to make Texas a better place to live and work. The current Republican Establishment needs to go. It has been stinking for a long time now.

[truthisfreedom]

10. The best way to unmask this devious behavior is to name it.

Like, for example, the wingers that claim that incredibly cold weather is a sign that global warming isn't true... They're called "Snow Trolls." Name the fuckers and call them out for what they're doing. Think about how hard we worked to save our troops and they called us surrender monkeys. Remember freedom fries? NAME THEM. CALL THEM OUT. Perhaps start with "Care Killers."