#642 (9/16) "10 Ways Obamacare Isn’t Working"

NOTE: My GEN-DAY is this Thurs., Sept. 19th. Do you know when is YOUR GEN-DAY ?

REMINDER: Check out this week's broadcast of ''Truth That Transofrms” (http://www.truthinaction.org/index.php/tr/uth-that-transforms  

NEWS FLASH: "Syrian Rebels Execute Christian Villagers," - CBNNews.com, September 12, 2013; http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/September/Syrian-Rebels-Execute-Christian-Villagers/ -  Syrian rebel fighters apparently executed three Christians fleeing the fighting in Maaloula this week, Britain's Sky News reported. 

Hundreds of Christians held a funeral in Damascus for the men, who were cousins. Sky News reports the men were trying to escape the Christian town of Maaloula, which has been under attack by rebel troops. The men reportedly were killed by forces with the al Qaeda linked Jabha al-Nour. Mourners say two of the victims had their throats cut and another was shot. Most of the mourners are also refugees from Maaloula, one of the oldest Christian communities in the world. [PRAY for the Christians throughout Syria who face greater persecution should rebels, particularly Islamists along the line of the Muslim Brotherhood, end up in charge of the country.]

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST: "Syrian Christians Brace for Strike, Ask for Prayer," - by Gary Lane, August 31, http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/August/Syrian-Christians-Brace-for-Strike-Ask-for-Prayer/"As Syrians brace themselves for a possible U.S. military attack, many of the county's Christians are praying for divine intervention. They say military action against the Assad regime will only bring them greater hardship and suffering and they're asking Christians worldwide to pray that God intervenes to bring peace to their nation. They believe the collective prayers of Christians around the world could reverse an escalating conflict..."

[EGYPT - Continue to pray for the tense situation in Egypt and especially for the Christian believers who are being targeted with violence by Muslim Brotherhood members.]      

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST- Update on Kenneth Bae: "US Ready to Bargain with N. Korea for Bae's Release,"-  CBNNews.com,  Aug 14, 2013  http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/August/S-Ready-to-Bargain-with-N-Korea-for-Baes-Release/  - The United States is willing to engage North Korea to secure the release of imprisoned American Christian Kenneth Bae. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said the United States is "willing to consider a number of different options" to bring him home.In a video recently released by a North Korean newspaper, Bae requested the United States send a high-ranking official to North Korea to seek his pardon. It is unclear if he spoke of his own volition in the video. Bae, 45, was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for sharing his faith. He suffers health problems such as diabetes and is currently hospitalized.[PRAY for 1) God's healing of and presence with Pastor Bae, 2) His earliest release by the North Korean government, and 3) God's comfort for his family and friends.] 

UPDATE: Iran Rejects Saeed's Appeal, Family 'Devastated' , CBNNews.com, August 27, 2013   http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/August/Iran-Rejects-Saeeds-Appeal-Family-Devastated/ "By keeping the 8-year prison sentence in place, Pastor Saeed, now potentially faces additional beatings and abuse inside Evin Prison -- treatment that has significantly weakened him during his first year in prison,"....{

“Abandoned” For Christ" - Graham Calls On White House To Support Abedini - By Dr. Tom Askew, Aug.8,  http://www.presidentialprayerteam.com/opinion

Franklin Graham is the latest to join the chorus of voices calling for U.S. State Department and White House officials to take a more vocal role in protesting the Iranian imprisonment of American pastor Saeed Abedini. September 26 will mark the one year anniversary of Abedini’s imprisonment for allegedly “endangering the national security” of Iran.

Graham pointed out that, in contrast to Iranian accusations, “Pastor Saeed was in Iran trying to help children. With the permission of Iran’s government, he was working to build an orphanage. But his humanitarian mission led to an arrest on bogus charges and nearly a year of inhumane treatment, simply because he loves Jesus Christ.”...

Behind the scenes, more than 600,000 people around the world have signed a petition sponsored by ACLJ in support of pastor Abedini. A concerted movement this past May brought together Christians from many nations to set aside Pentecost to pray for Abedini. On June 13, demonstrations were held at Iranian embassies in at least six countries to protest Abedini’s treatment. And, on July 29, Arizona Republican Representative Trent Franks spoke on the floor of the House to urge other Congressmen to join him in “adopting” Pastor Abedini through the bipartisan Defending Freedoms Project.

Saeed’s response…and yours - Through his family living in Iran, Pastor Abedini has been made aware of these efforts on his behalf, and is grateful. “I heard that the persecution, my arrest and imprisonment has united churches from different denominations, from different cities and countries. That the churches have united together in prayer to put one request (my freedom) on one day (Pentecost) before God,” he wrote in a letter.

The story of Saeed Abedini, the jihad against Syrian Christians, the attacks on Coptic Christians in Egypt, and the ongoing desecration of churches in Nigeria and India should cause every American to reflect on the blessings of freedom still enjoyed in this nation.

PRAY: - For comfort and peace for Saeed’s wife and children here in the U.S.

- For a strong witness and testimony from Pastor Abedini in the prison where God has placed him

- For Christians around the world who are being persecuted for their faith in Christ

- BOLDly (Beside Our Leaders Daily) for leadership from the White House and State Department in defending the freedoms of Abedini and other Americans

Go to SaveSaeed.org to sign a petition over 600,000 others asking for his immediate release.

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"10 Ways Obamacare Isn’t Working," - by Chris Jacobs On September 9, 2013 

Obamacare is an unworkable law. It’s obvious because the Administration keeps trying to “fix” it—to no avail. It has delayed parts of the law, ignored others, and carved out exemptions for its political allies.

1. WAIVERS: The Administration established a legally questionable program of temporary waivers [1] when firms announced they were considering dropping coverage [2] rather than comply with the law’s costly requirements. Even though more than half of the recipients of these waivers [1] were members of union plans, many union leaders are still not satisfied [3]—they want another waiver [4], to receive taxpayer-funded subsidies for their employer-provided coverage.

2. ILLEGAL TAXPAYER SUBSIDIES FOR CONGRESS: Last month, following heavy lobbying from leaders in both parties [5]—and an intervention from President Obama himself [6]—the Administration issued a rule [7] regarding coverage for Members of Congress and their staffs, who will retain their taxpayer-funded insurance subsidies in the exchanges. Unfortunately, as previous research [8] has documented, the Administration had no legal basis on which to make this ruling.

3. EMPLOYER MANDATE: In July, the Administration announced [9] it would not enforce Obamacare’s employer mandate until 2015, effectively granting big business a one-year delay [10]. This action came despite language in Section 1514(d) of the law [11] requiring employers to act “beginning after December 31, 2013,” and despite the fact that hard-working Americans are not getting a delay from the other harmful effects of Obamacare.

4. PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS: Immediately after Obamacare was signed, Democratic staffers admitted [12] that under the law as written, insurers “still would be able to refuse new coverage to children because of a pre-existing medical problem.” The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) took it upon itself to issue regulations [13] prohibiting plans from turning down such applicants three years earlier than the law required. As a result, insurers stopped offering child-only plans in 17 states [14], fearing that only parents of sick children would apply for insurance coverage.

5. OUT-OF-POCKET CAPS: Section 1302(c)(1) of the law [11] includes caps on out-of-pocket expenses and explicitly states they are to take effect “beginning in 2014.” But earlier this year, the Administration delayed these new caps from taking effect as scheduled. What’s more, as The New York Times reported [15], the Administration made this unilateral change not by issuing rules subject to public comment, but by posting a series of questions and answers [16] on an obscure website.

6. BASIC HEALTH PLAN: This government-run health plan for people above the Medicaid income level was created in Section 1331 of Obamacare [11] as a way to promote “state flexibility,” but the Administration unilaterally delayed [17] it for one year. One Democratic Senator criticized [18] the Administration for this move, saying it does not “live up” to the law as written.

7. TAX DISCLOSURES: Section 9002 of Obamacare [11] requires employers to report the value of workers’ health insurance on W-2 filings, effective for all “taxable years after December 31, 2010.” But the Administration unilaterally delayed [19] this requirement, and employers did not have to report these data until after the 2012 presidential election.

8. HONOR SYSTEM: In July, the Administration announced [20] it was placing most Americans on the “honor system [21]” when it came to verifying their income and access to employer-provided health coverage. As prior research has documented [22], this move, coupled with loopholes written into the law, gives many Americans a strong incentive to “game the system” and obtain more in taxpayer-funded insurance subsidies than they should actually receive.

9. PRIVACY: Former HHS General Counsel Michael Astrue, when serving as Commissioner of Social Security earlier this year, complained strongly [23] within the Administration about the security risks posed by Obamacare’s new data hub. However, the Administration overrode his objections, using what Astrue called “an absurdly broad interpretation of the Privacy Act’s ‘routine use’ exemption.”

10. TOBACCO PENALTIES: Section 1201 of the law [11] allows insurance companies to charge smokers up to 50 percent more in premiums. But due to a “computer glitch [24],” those penalties will be limited for “at least a year”—meaning non-smokers may have to pay more as a result.

In the end, Nancy Pelosi [25] was wrong. Congress passed the bill, but we still don’t know what’s in it—because the Obama Administration keeps changing rules and ignoring the law. That’s why Congress should use its power of the purse and stop a single dime from being spent [26] on this unworkable, unfair, and unpopular measure.

[bold and italics emphasis mine]
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Article printed from The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation: http://blog.heritage.org;  URL to article: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/09/09/morning-bell-10-ways-obamacare-isnt-working/

URLs in this post:
[1] temporary waivers: http://www.cms.gov/CCIIO/Resources/Files/approved_applications_for_waiver.html
[2] considering dropping coverage: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703431604575522413101063070.html
[3] many union leaders are still not satisfied: http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/319685-labor-frustration-boils-over-with-president-on-obamacare
[4] another waiver: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2013/08/30/labor_leaders_wh_discuss_obamacare_fixes.html
[5] heavy lobbying from leaders in both parties: http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=5A754D54-0FCE-4974-9155-C283E89AF9E3
[6] intervention from President Obama himself: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/07/obama-hill-health-care-dispute-95017.html
[7] issued a rule: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-08-08/pdf/2013-19222.pdf
[8] previous research: http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2013/08/congress-in-the-obamacare-trap-no-easy-escape
[9] announced: http://www.treasury.gov/connect/blog/Pages/Continuing-to-Implement-the-ACA-in-a-Careful-Thoughtful-Manner-.aspx
[10] granting big business a one-year delay: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/07/02/its-official-administration-admits-obamacares-a-job-killer/
[11] law: http://housedocs.house.gov/energycommerce/ppacacon.pdf
[12] admitted: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/24/health-care-protection-children_n_510868.html
[13] regulations: http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=HHS-OS-2010-0014-0001
[14] stopped offering child-only plans in 17 states: http://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Child-Only%20Health%20Insurance%20Report%20Aug%202,%202011.pdf
[15] reported: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/13/us/a-limit-on-consumer-costs-is-delayed-in-health-care-law.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
[16] series of questions and answers: http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/faqs/faq-aca12.html
[17] unilaterally delayed: http://capsules.kaiserhealthnews.org/index.php/2013/02/hhs-delays-basic-health-plan-option-until-2015/
[18] criticized: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vee4UdW_u-8
[19] unilaterally delayed: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-2010-69.pdf
[20] announced: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-07-15/pdf/2013-16271.pdf
[21] honor system: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/05/us-usa-healthcare-exchanges-idUSBRE96402X20130705
[22] documented: http://blog.heritage.org/2013/07/29/how-the-obamacare-honor-system-will-encourage-fraud/
[23] complained strongly: http://www.weeklystandard.com/print/articles/privacy-be-damned_741033.html
[24] computer glitch: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/07/09/another-obamacara-glitch-computer-problem-temporarily-limits-penalties-for/
[25] Nancy Pelosi: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hV-05TLiiLU
[26] stop a single dime from being spent: http://obamacare.heritage.org/

[34] global cooling now: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2415191/Global-cooling-Arctic-ice-caps-grows-60-global-warming-predictions.html