Over It: One Person Attends Obamacare Event in Virginia

Katie Pavlich | August 05, 2013 11:00 AM

Want to know how excited people are about Obamacare? Look no further than the Obamacare phone banking party held over the weekend in liberal Northern Virginia where

just one person helped make phone calls. The goal was to sell the unpopular piece of legislation on behalf of Obama for America.

That means gatherings like today’s in Centreville — although the slow start here is probably not what OFA organizers had in mind. After a scheduling snafu over the start time, a few people showed up and left before it actually started. Just one volunteer stayed to help work the phone bank for the health law, and the event’s organizer bolted after 20 minutes — although he was bound for another Obamacare event, a house party.

Think Centreville isn't a fair representation of how people really feel about Obamacare? Think again. Poll after poll shows the legislation is deeply unpopular, that more Americans than ever want it repealed and that a majority are confused about how the overhaul will actually benefit them. Not to mention, just last week acting IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel, whose agency is in charge of enforcing Obamacare, said he didn't want to switch his personal healthcare plan over to one under Obamacare.

The head of the agency tasked with enforcing ObamaCare said Thursday that he'd rather not get his own health insurance from the system created by the health care overhaul.

"I would prefer to stay with the current policy that I'm pleased with rather than go through a change if I don't need to go through that change," said acting IRS chief Danny Werfel, during a House Ways and Means Committee hearing.

Lawmakers and staff can breathe easy — their health care tab is not going to soar next year.

The Office of Personnel Management, under heavy pressure from Capitol Hill, will issue a ruling that says the government can continue to make a contribution to the health care premiums of members of Congress and their aides, according to several Hill sources.

A White House official confirmed the deal and said the proposed regulations will be issued next week.

The problem was rooted in the original text of the Affordable Care Act. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) inserted a provision which said members of Congress and their aides must be covered by plans “created” by the law or “offered through an exchange.” Until now, OPM had not said if the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program could contribute premium payments toward plans on the exchange. If payments stopped, lawmakers and aides would have faced thousands of dollars in additional premium payments each year. Under the old system, the government contributed nearly 75 percent of premium payments.

The country is over it.