No One is Safe With Obama Care Legislation!

Watch out Federal civil service employees, you’re not safe unless you have a united and loud voice. If you’ve been sitting back, just not worried about what happens to health care because it does not affect you, read the article below regarding the amendments currently in work in the Senate and think twice. For those of you in California, Rep. Darrell Issa has been taking care of you; however, I have no faith in Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) nor Barbara Boxer (D-CA). Both Feinstein and Boxer tend to vote along party lines without regard to dissent and outcome. Also, keep in mind that Boxer will soon take everyone for a ride with the Cap and Trade green legislation she is 'marking-up' in the Senate. If you don’t do something now, you have no one to blame but yourselves for not getting involved. Write to your congressmen/women and voice your opinions:

Contact Senator Dianne Feinstein

Contact Senator Barbara Boxer

Contact Representative Darrell Issa

If you are not a resident of California or live in counties other than Riverside and/or San Diego, you can find your local congressmen/women on the internet or voice your discontent at www.Congress.Org; just input your zip code, then click on the word ‘federal’ under the blue box titled “write your elected officials.”

You can also use the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) web site to voice your assent/dissent. The preprinted text can be changed to suit your comments or personalize your message to your specific representatives.

Don’t sit back and watch things happen, get involved in your future.

Proposal would end federal health benefits plan
By Alex M. Parker aparker@govexec.com September 23, 2009

Several of the more than 500 amendments the Senate Finance Committee is facing as it begins a marathon markup of health care reform legislation would affect public servants' health coverage -- and one would end the federal government's health insurance program.

The provision, offered by ranking member Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, would force civil servants to leave the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program and purchase insurance through the state-based health exchanges that are a centerpiece of the health reform bill. Employees would move to the exchanges beginning in 2013.

The idea behind the amendment is "to require that elected officials and federal employees purchase insurance in the same manner proposed in the [bill] for private citizens," according to a summary on the Finance Committee's Web site.

Representatives from Grassley's office did not return calls for comment.

Daniel Adcock, legislative director for the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, said his organization would oppose such an amendment. He noted the proposal could be designed to damage the overall bill's chances of passage. "It may be a way to drive a point home -- if the exchange system is good enough for the public, then it should be good enough for federal employees," Adcock said.

Another proposed amendment, sponsored by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., would allow some members of the general public to purchase FEHBP benefits. Qualifying citizens would join the same risk pool as federal employees, which could result in increased premiums for current enrollees, Adcock said. He added that NARFE would support the idea only if enrollees from outside the government were placed in a separate risk pool.

The Finance Committee began considering amendments on Tuesday; Chairman Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., is aiming to complete the markup by the end of the week.

Full text: www.govexec.com