Source: http://www.coachisright.com/states-pass-legislation-to-protect-residents-from-obamacare-navigators/
September 24th, 2013
by Doug Book, editor
Remember way back in 2010 when Barack Obama and far left members of the House and Senate felt compelled to rush the Affordable Care Act (ACA) through Congress even though the Democrat Party controlled both chambers quite comfortably? That was a first-rate tip-off that something genuinely shady had to be going on with ObamaCare.
Since then the IRS has mangled the Constitution; HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has extorted money from the very insurance providers she will regulate; the White House has illegally rewritten portions of the Act and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court has prostituted himself, decimating his legacy and betraying his country. All of this and more just to get where we are today.
And where we are today is in perfect continuity with the rest of the ObamaCare plot line. For states are now passing legislation to defend residents from the anticipated corruption and incompetence of ObamaCare “navigators”–the people whose job it will be to make certain that Americans are eligible to enroll in the Affordable Care Act.
Think about that. We now need the States to provide Americans with legal protection against criminal schemes which are fully expected to be carried out by federal employees! In fewer than 5 years, the reputation for corruption and guile of an American president has compelled the American people to seek the protection of the courts, convinced that in anything Barack Obama plays a role, felonious intrigue will follow.
On August 14th, the Attorneys General of 13 States wrote HHS Secretary Sebelius warning her of the consequences of the slipshod manner in which ObamaCare “navigators” were being trained and managed. “As it now stands, it is inevitable that HHS’s vague “standards” will result in improperly screened or inadequately trained personnel. These individuals will be more prone to misappropriate–accidentally or intentionally–the private data of consumers.” (1)
Nationwide, thousands of navigators will be responsible for collecting the most sensitive and personal of information from millions of individuals intent upon the purchase of health insurance. Yet nowhere in the HHS-issued, July 17th Final Rule on the Standards for Navigators is it required that candidates be subject to criminal background or fingerprint checks prior to being hired. In fact it doesn’t even state that “…ANY prior criminal acts are per se disqualifying.” (1) As the AG’s write Kathleen Sebelius, “…this is a privacy disaster waiting to happen.” (1)
Navigator standards in the ACA exchange rule state that, “…a navigator must meet any licensing, certification or other standards prescribed by the state or exchange.” (2) And to their credit, states are taking advantage of this opportunity to protect the interests of their residents.
Iowa and Maine have passed legislation to license/certify their navigators.
Maryland has passed a certification statute.
Ohio will demand navigators fulfill state training, certification standards and pass a background check.
Sixteen states now require navigator certification to state satisfaction.
Tennessee will fingerprint navigators, perform background checks and limit the advice navigators may give potential ObamaCare customers.
In May, “…a top Obamacare official told GOP lawmakers that navigators will not be required to undergo background checks. Criminal records are not automatically disqualifying — and that includes identity theft. The federal rule-makers will require online training of…20 hours.” (3)
Perhaps this was the case in May. But don’t expect many navigators sporting these “credentials” to work in Republican managed states. The community organizer mentality is just not going to fly.
Sources:
(1) http://www.wvago.gov/pdf/Letter%20to%20HHS%20re%20Data%20Privacy_%28final%208%2014%2013%29.pdf
(2) http://www.nahu.org/legislative/connector/StateRegulationofNavigators.pdf
(3) http://michellemalkin.com/2013/05/29/obamacare-navigators-another-sebelius-snitch-brigade/
