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01-20-2012, 01:29 PM
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I think Romney is right in having said many times that the State of Massachusetts had its own rights, voter and legislative goals, and unique conditions as compared to the entire nation.
It's been said many times that states should have the right to try different/innovative methods of financing such programs before saddling the entire nation with an even bigger mistake than what's been put on us now.
I think it is far better to have had MA try it so the rest of the states could see the successes and failures of such an attempt, and then LEARN from it...... before doing something so stupid as passing a 2,000-page boondoggle "healthcare" law that the boobs in Congress had not even read. Even if they had read it, it is incomprehensible and is loaded with everything but the kitchen sink.....like student loans and vote-buying bribes like this:
Quote:
"Altogether, 235 Minnesota employers and unions have taken advantage of a previously obscure provision in the health care law that gives federal subsidies to supplement health insurance costs for early retirees under the Early Retiree Reinsurance Program (ERRP). To date, Minnesota employers and unions have received more than $15 million in ERRP payments, nineteenth among the states for total funding received under the reimbursement program.
High profile Minnesota corporate recipients include Allianz, American Crystal Sugar, Ameriprise Financial, Andersen Windows, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Cargill, Ecolab, Hormel, Mayo Clinic, Medtronic, Minnesota Life, SUPERVALU, Travelers, Toro, US Bank and Xcel.
Some of Minnesota biggest local governments also cashed in, including the Metropolitan Council, the Metropolitan Airports Commission and the State of Minnesota. Minnesota counties that successfully sought the subsidy include: Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, and St. Louis. Finally, the cities of Bloomington, Duluth, Minneapolis, and St. Paul and school districts such as Anoka-Hennepin, Edina, St. Cloud, St. Paul and Stillwater all were successful in seeking additional funds as part of the federal health care law.
Several Minnesota unions also got a big share of the federal health care funds, including Minnesota Council Number # 5 of AFSCME, Carpenters & Joiners Welfare Fund, Education Minnesota, 789 United Food & Commercial Workers, Minnesota Teamsters Construction Division, Sheet Metal # 10 Benefit Fund, and the Twin City Pipe Trades.
The PPACA which became law one year ago, appropriated $5 billion in financial assistance that is available to maintain health insurance for early retirees 55 and older who do not yet qualify for Medicare coverage. In a 23,471 word, 21 page federal register filing, eligible “employment-based plans” were defined to include plans maintained by a private employer, state or local government, employee organization, voluntary employees’ benefit association (VEBA), nonprofit organization, religious entity or a multiemployer plan....."
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Read more:
http://biggovernment.com/tsteward/20...w/#more-251624
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