HHS Responds to Subpoena of Obamacare Program With One Heavily Edited Document

[Geee]

Townhall:

House GOP members requested a year ago that the Department of Health and Human Services provide information into how it funds Obamacare’s Basic Health Program, a service that provides health coverage to low-income Americans. This week, HHS finally complied –with "one heavily redacted page of one document."

 

Republicans responded to the White House’s lame excuse for an answer with a frustrated letter to HHS Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell.

 

"The pattern of conduct to this point suggests that the department intends to frustrate our legitimate efforts to conduct oversight of the Basic Health Program," House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton, R-Mich., and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady, R-Texas, wrote.

 

Last year, the White House shelled out tens of millions of dollars for the Basic Health Program without congressional approval. Republicans had every right to be suspicious. Where does HHS get the authority to use IRS money to pay for the program? the legislators demanded.

 

The agency’s silence speaks volumes. Perhaps they are not responding because they know that they don’t have rationale to use taxpayer money for the program.

[Geee]

Ryan: Obama 'circumvented law' on health insurer payments

 

The Obama administration "circumvented the law" by bailing out health insurance companies with billions of taxpayer dollars, Speaker Paul Ryan charged on Monday.

 

The Wisconsin Republican, who gave an interview to WTAQ in Wisconsin on Tuesday, said a House Ways and Means Committee investigation into the insurance payments revealed even an IRS official believed the move required congressional approval, which it had not received.

 

Ryan's interview referenced a New York Times story about the Ways and Means probe, which he said relied on transcripts of depositions before that committee. The depositions, according to the Times, revealed that "some within the administration challenged the spending" on subsidizing health insurers who were not making enough money under Obamacare and who would otherwise have to raise premiums significantly.

 

Ryan said the Obama administration "basically gave billions of dollars, taxpayer dollars, to insurance companies, to try and make Obamacare look better than it is ... and to try to make the premium increases not as high as they otherwise would be."

 

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/ryan-obama-circumvented-law-on-health-insurer-payments/article/2592654

[SrWoodchuck]

Sweet @Geee!

 

Why aren't they suing Oblunder's Department of Crony Capitalism or his Department of Defector Generals?

[Geee]

Sweet @Geee!

 

Why aren't they suing Oblunder's Department of Crony Capitalism or his Department of Defector Generals?

 

They have several law suits going that are dragging out to infinity. Which is which I have forgotten and nothing will ever happen until he is out of office and the nothing will be nothing anyhow. I am at the stage of - see this - nobody cares, so why do I even bother

[SrWoodchuck]

 

Sweet @Geee!

 

Why aren't they suing Oblunder's Department of Crony Capitalism or his Department of Defector Generals?

 

They have several law suits going that are dragging out to infinity. Which is which I have forgotten and nothing will ever happen until he is out of office and the nothing will be nothing anyhow. I am at the stage of - see this - nobody cares, so why do I even bother

 

 

 

Sweet @Geee!

 

It's sad that one branch of government has to sue another branch in order to keep their authority. Part of this, is because when Oblunder first began to step on Congressional toes with the Executive...the Legislative didn't cut off all funding to let him know it was unacceptable. Like some people allow themselves to be taken advantage of, and then just moan about it happening. Unfortunately, both sides of these lawsuits are funded by taxpayers.

[Valin]

More Here

[Geee]

Showdown over ObamaCare subpoenas quickly escalating

 

House Republicans and the Obama administration are clashing over subpoenas for ObamaCare documents.

Republicans are upping the pressure on the administration, saying officials are withholding documents that Congress has every right to see.

 

The administration argues that it is justified in withholding some documents, as predecessors have done, because of the executive branch's interest in protecting the confidentiality of internal deliberations. It says it has cooperated with Republicans by making officials available for interviews and by providing some documents.

That argument isn’t sitting well with House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Texas) or Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.). They say the administration is stonewalling legitimate oversight.

“Your refusal to provide the requested documents and information raises serious concerns about the Department’s willingness to be accountable for the lawful execution of laws passed by Congress,” Upton and Brady wrote to Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell on Tuesday.

“This is the age old fight of executive power versus legislative power,” said Tom Scully, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services under President George W. Bush. “It's been going on in every administration forever.”

At issue are two separate portions of ObamaCare. One is the Basic Health Program, which states can choose to implement and is aimed at providing choices for low-income people with slightly too much income to qualify for Medicaid. The other is the law’s “cost-sharing reductions” which are payments that help lower out-of pocket-costs for low-income ObamaCare enrollees.

 

http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/281931-showdown-over-obamacare-subpoenas-quickly-escalating

[Valin]

One of the things you can do with history is connect dots

 

Corrupt Clinton Administration (personal corruption to advance their power and fortune)

 

More Corrupt Obama Administration (Remember what Barry said about Fundamentally changing the nation? It appears to me this is what he is doing with the Permanent government.)

 

Next Democrat Administration?

 

Ok we are using only two data points so......

 

Of the two Obama's corruption is worse more dangerous than the Clinton's.

 

So the question is, how bad will the next one be without some Major changes in the Democratic Party?

 

 

Additionally there is the temptation with some On The Right to use the same tactics....corruption, to strike back at the Left. This is understandable, but Not A Good Thing.

[Geee]

One of the things you can do with history is connect dots

 

Corrupt Clinton Administration (personal corruption to advance their power and fortune)

 

More Corrupt Obama Administration (Remember what Barry said about Fundamentally changing the nation? It appears to me this is what he is doing with the Permanent government.)

 

Next Democrat Administration?

 

Ok we are using only two data points so......

 

Of the two Obama's corruption is worse more dangerous than the Clinton's.

 

So the question is, how bad will the next one be without some Major changes in the Democratic Party?

 

 

Additionally there is the temptation with some On The Right to use the same tactics....corruption, to strike back at the Left. This is understandable, but Not A Good Thing.

 

Kind of had a thought yesterday (shocking, I know ) If the sh*t hits the fan with Hillary (unlikey, I know) - maybe it will be the Dems that have a new candidate from a brokered convention.

[Valin]

@Geee

 

 

He's Tanned Rested And Ready!

[Valin]

@Geee

 

 

He's Tanned Rested And Ready!

 

 

A centrist Democrat offers his own fantasy candidate: Joe Biden

[Geee]

 

@Geee

 

 

He's Tanned Rested And Ready!

 

 

A centrist Democrat offers his own fantasy candidate: Joe Biden

 

 

So many people that laughed about the prospect of 'bumbling Joe' are not laughing any more