Can Court Clerks Decline to Do Gay Marriages? How It’s Playing Out in the States

A few cases of public employees who cite their faith in declining to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples have grabbed media attention, but similar concerns exist in scores of courthouses across America, a lawyer for a prominent Christian legal organization says.

“In most instances the government can accommodate the religious beliefs of the objecting person,” @AllianceDefends’ Jeremy Tedesco

A  suit against a Kentucky court clerk was scheduled to be heard today by a federal judge, and county commissions were set to vote on the resignations of clerks in Tennessee and Texas.

The cases, the lawyer told The Daily Signal, are just three examples of difficult choices created by the Supreme Court’s5-4 ruling legalizing same-sex marriage throughout the nation.

“I think the bottom line is, in most instances the government can accommodate the religious beliefs of the objecting person,” said Jeremy Tedesco, senior counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom.

An ultimatum of “comply or lose your job” by some LGBT activists and their supporters, he said, runs counter to “our rich history of religious freedom and religious accommodation.”

Civil disobedience to the ruling, and to instructions issued by governors and other state authorities, initially occurred among clerks and other court employees in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas.

However, Tedesco said the offices of Alliance Defending Freedom, or ADF, have been “inundated” by calls and emails from courthouse employees and officials who aren’t sure what their office will do, want to understand their rights, or have asked for an accommodation for their faith but haven’t yet gotten one.

>>> For more on religious liberty and same-sex marriage, see Ryan T. Anderson’s new book, “Truth Overruled: The Future of Marriage and Religious Freedom.”

In some cases, clerks and other court employees have resigned rather than issue licenses for same-sex nuptials.

Via: Daily Signal

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Toledo judge refuses to perform gay marriage

A northwest Ohio municipal judge assigned to a courtroom where civil marriages are performed refused to marry two women less than two weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court legalized gay marriage, the judge’s office confirmed on Wednesday.

Toledo Municipal Judge Allen McConnell was on a three-week rotation assigned to perform civil ceremonies on Monday when Carolyn Wilson and her partner asked to be married. McConnell acknowledged the decision in a Wednesday statement.

“On Monday, July 6, I declined to marry a non-traditional couple during my duties assignment,” he said. “The declination was based upon my personal and Christian beliefs established over many years. I apologize to the couple for the delay they experienced and wish them the best.”

On June 26, the Supreme Court ruled that the U.S. Constitution provides same-sex couples the right to marry, handing a historic triumph to the gay rights movement.

Toledo Municipal Court judges performed 98 marriages in 2014 and 49 marriages so far this year. Deputy court administrator Michael Zenk said the request by the women on Monday was the first time the court was asked to perform a same-sex marriage.

After McConnell refused, Judge William Connelly, Jr. performed the ceremony for the women, Zenk said.

“It is the policy of the court to accommodate wedding requests and we will continue to do that for both opposite and same-sex marriage,” Zenk said.

McConnell said he will continue to perform “traditional marriages” and is, “seeking an advisory opinion from the Supreme Court of Ohio” about whether he can “opt out of the rotation” that would have him perform civil marriages.

Via: Columbus Dispatch

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Congress returns to face busy agenda, funding deadline

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After July Fourth fireworks and parades, members of Congress return to work Tuesday facing a daunting summer workload and a pending deadline to fund the government or risk a shutdown in the fall.

The funding fight is shaping up as a major partisan brawl against the backdrop of an intensifying campaign season. Republicans are eager to avoid another Capitol Hill mess as they struggle to hang onto control of Congress and try to take back the White House next year.

Already they are deep into the blame game with Democrats over who would be responsible if a shutdown does happen. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, has denounced Democrats' "dangerously misguided strategy" while House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California accuses Boehner and his Republicans of pursuing "manufactured crises."

The funding deadline does not even arrive until Sept. 30, but lawmakers face more immediate tests. Near the top of the list is renewing highway funding before the government loses authority July 31 to send much-needed transportation money to the states right in the middle of summer driving season.

The highway bill probably also will be the way lawmakers try to renew the disputed federal Export-Import Bank, which makes and underwrites loans to help foreign companies buy U.S. products. The bank's charter expired June 30 due to congressional inaction, a defeat for business and a victory for conservative activists who turned killing the obscure agency into an anti-government cause celebre.

Via: Fox News

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John Kasich to announce presidential bid July 21

Ohio Gov. John Kasich will jump into the crowded Republican presidential field on July 21 at the student union at his alma mater, The Ohio State University, in Columbus, advisers tell POLITICO.

Kasich, 63, who was overwhelmingly reelected in November, will aim to appear less scripted and guarded than the leading candidates. Advisers say he combines establishment appeal with a conservative record going back to his stint as House Budget Committee chairman, during his 18 years as a congressman from Ohio.

Despite his late start, Kasich will be one of the most closely watched candidates — partly because Ohio is such a crucial presidential state, putting Kasich on many short lists for vice president.

Kasich briefly pursued a presidential bid in the 2000 cycle, but got no traction and dropped out in July 1999, endorsing then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush.

For Kasich’s announcement on July 21, doors will open at 9:30 a.m. at The Ohio Union at Ohio State.

The announcement date puts Kasich a week behind the other Midwestern governor in the race, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who plans to announce the week of July 13.

The July launch gives Kasich a shot at raising his national profile enough to qualify for the first GOP debate, on Aug. 6 in his home state. But participation in the Cleveland debate will be based on national polling, and Kasich advisers admit that qualifying will be tough, even with his announcement bump.

Kasich, who graduated from Ohio State in 1974, can expect an excited crowd in the Buckeye capital. He’ll follow his kickoff rally with an announcement tour that includes Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Michigan.

The GOP talent pool is getting shallow, with so many credible candidates vying for the nomination. But Kasich landed two of the best-known names in Republican politics:

His chief strategist will be John Weaver, mastermind of John McCain’s insurgent campaigns of 2000 and 2008. And the lead consultant for Kasich’s super PAC, New Day for America, will be ad maker Fred Davis, based in the Hollywood Hills, who worked on McCain ’08 and has had several viral hits. Both worked on Jon Huntsman’s presidential campaign in 2012.

Via: Politico

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Supreme Court upholds use of drug implicated in botched executions

The Supreme Court on Monday upheld the use of a controversial drug that has been implicated in several botched executions. Two of the justices said for first time that death penalty itself probably is unconstitutional.

The justices voted 5-4 in a case from Oklahoma that the sedative midazolam can be used in executions without violating the Eighth Amendment prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment.

The drug was used in executions in Arizona, Ohio and Oklahoma in 2014 that took longer than usual and raised concerns that it did not perform its intended task of putting inmates into a coma-like sleep.

Justice Samuel Alito said for a conservative majority that arguments the drug could not be used effectively as a sedative in executions is speculative.

In dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor said, "Under the court's new rule, it would not matter whether the state intended to use midazolam, or instead to have petitioners drawn and quartered, slowly tortured to death, or actually burned at the stake."

Alito responded, saying "the dissent's resort to this outlandish rhetoric reveals the weakness of its legal arguments."

In a separate dissent, Justice Stephen Breyer said the time has come for the court to debate whether the death penalty itself is constitutional. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg joined Breyer's opinion.

The Supreme Court's involvement in the case began in January with an unusually public disagreement among the justices over executions.

Via: Fox News

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GOP gov.: "Time to move on" from same-sex marriage

Possible Republican presidential candidate and Ohio Gov. John Kasich believes it's "time to move on" from the same-sex marriage issue in the wake of the Supreme Court's landmark ruling.

"I do believe in traditional marriage and the court has ruled and it's time to move on," Kasich said on CBS' "Face the Nation" Sunday, adding that there's "so many other things now that we have to focus on."

Kasich, who has not yet officially announced a bid for the White House in 2016, believes the country needs to wait and see "how this evolves."

"I think everybody needs to take a deep breath to see how this evolves," the Ohio governor, who was the named defendant in the original lawsuit brought by Jim Obergefell over same-sex marriage, said. "But I know this. Religious institutions, religious entities - you know, like the Catholic church - they need to be honored as well. I think there's an ability to strike a balance."

But while the Republican governor has conceded that "it's the law of the land and we'll abide by it," some in the conservative wing have expressed their willingness to take on the same-sex marriage fight over the long term.

Russell Moore of the Southern Baptist Convention told CBS' "Face the Nation" that people of faith "are not going to simply surrender" their traditional marriage views because of the Supreme Court ruling.

"We didn't make up our views on marriage and sexuality, and we can't unmake them," Moore said Sunday. "We understand that in the short term, things are very stacked against us here, but we ought to have the pluralistic American environment where we can agree to disagree."

Instead, Moore added, "we're going to have to take a page from the pro-life movement and see this as a long-term strategy."

"I don't think that an infinitely elastic view of marriage is sustainable," the evangelical leader said. "I think we have to be the people who keep the light lit to the old ways when it comes to marriage and family and that's going to be a generation-long skirmish."

Via: CBS News

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Poll: Hillary Clinton's Numbers Take Another Hit in Swing States Over Trustworthiness

As Hillary Clinton continues her campaign with little interaction with the press, Americans are becoming more wary about whether the former Secretary of State is trustworthy and honest on important issues.

A new Quinnipiac University poll shows Clinton's numbers have taken a particular hit in swing and Republicans are gaining right behind her with voters. In Florida, Pennsylvania and Ohio a majority of voters view Clinton as untrustworthy, which is a major problem considering trustworthiness is at the top of the priority list for swing state voters. 

Clinton's favorability ratings are 47 - 45 percent in Florida, negative 44 - 48 percent in Ohio and 46 - 48 percent in Pennsylvania.

She is not honest and trustworthy, Florida voters say 51 - 43 percent, Ohio voters say 53 - 40 percent and Pennsylvania voters say 54 - 40 percent.

"It's a long way until Election Day, but in the critical swing states of Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida has a tiny edge over the GOP field, "said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac Poll.

"Most of the eight GOP hopefuls are within striking distance of Secretary Hillary Clinton in at least one of the three states. In Ohio, Gov. Kasich leads."

"But perhaps more troubling for her than the continuing slide is how she is perceived by voters who continue to say she is not honest and trustworthy."

"But potentially more disturbing for her are low marks for caring about voter needs and problems. This is where Democrats almost always fare better than Republicans. Yet in this survey many Republican candidates do as well or better than does she," Brown added.

Via: Red State

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CAUGHT ON TAPE: Dem Governor Says Lobbying For CAP Was His ‘Dream Job’

Former Democratic Ohio governor and former congressman Ted Strickland revealed that being a high-paid liberal lobbyist was his “dream job.”

“I want to tell you, I had a job last year that was a dream job, paid me more money than I’ve ever made in my life,” Strickland said Sunday during a campaign stop at Vern Riffe Vocational School in Piketon, Ohio.

Strickland, who is running for Senate in 2016, was referring to his work as the president of the Center for American Progress Action Fund, the lobbying arm of John Podesta’s left-wing think tank the Center for American Progress. The group spent $40,000 on lobbying in 2014.

Via: The Daily Caller

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Mayor 'disturbed' by lack of diversity in CPD command staff

          Mayor John Cranley says he is disturbed by the lack of minorities in the city's police command staff. (FOX19 NOW/file)

(Cincinnati, OH) Mayor John Cranley and the Sentinel Police Association want to change testing procedures used to determine promotions in the city's police department.

"Mayor Cranley is disturbed by the lack of diversity in the police department's command staff," reads a prepared statement from the mayor's office. "Of the three assistant chiefs, none are African-American; and of the 12 police captains, only one is African-American."

U.S. Census statistics indicate the city of Cincinnati's population is 49.3 percent Caucasian and 44.8 percent African-American, the statement reads.

A police department should reflect the city it serves to effectively police the community and to develop a good relationship with residents.

“We clearly need some diversity in our command staff to foster trust and cooperation with the community,” Cranley said. “For years, the Sentinels have said the way we test and grade the examination process for promotions is unfair.”

An upcoming vacancy in the captains' ranks will create an opportunity to add diversity in the command staff of the police department. Last week, Assistant Chief Paul Humphries announced he is leaving later this month for an out-of-state job.

".... not only will an assistant chief's position be filled due to a retirement, but presumably a captain's position will be vacated if a captain is promoted to assistant chief," the mayor's statement reads.

The Sentinels say they believe the lack of diversity stems from promotional tests that were written and graded by the command staff. They are calling for a fair test that is “double blind” – written and graded by outsiders, and graded anonymously.

Cranley agrees and asked city officials a few months ago to begin implementing the change.

"We just want a fair testing system. We believe that if we have a fair testing system, it will lead to greater diversity,” Mayor John Cranley said on Monday.

City Manager Harry Black – who is not related to the Sentinel president – is in the process of making changes to the promotional exam process. The new procedures will be used in the next round of captain's exams that will be administered soon.

“I want to thank the administration for listening to the Sentinels and me to develop a fairer method of testing,” Cranley said.

Cranley wants the city manager and Human Resources Director Georgetta Kelly to meet with the Sentinel's president again to discuss the new process and ensure the Sentinels' concerns are being adequately addressed.

Via: Fox19 Now

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NYT: Billionaire George Soros Financing Dems' Voter Rights Lawsuits

Billionaire philanthropist George Soros has agreed to spend as much as $5 million on Democrats' court battles against voting laws passed in recent years by Republican-controlled state governments such as in Ohio and Wisconsin.

"We hope to see these unfair laws, which often disproportionately affect the most vulnerable in our society, repealed," the Hungarian-born investor has said about the legal battles, describing himself as being "proud" of his involvement, reports The New York Times. 

Soros political adviser Michael Vachon said the billionaire has given $1 million so far this year to the liberal research super PAC American Bridge. 

Backers of Democrat presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who has made the voting laws a cornerstone of her campaign, have been pushing Soros to commit millions of dollars to her super PAC.  Soros has not done that so far, the Times says.

The lawsuits against the states are being led by attorney Marc Elias, who is the Clinton campaign's general counsel, the newspaper reports. 

This is not Soros' first involvement in voting issues. His first major push in American politics included the America Coming Together voter-mobilization drive in 2004, in an effort to defeat President George W. Bush. 

The lawsuits include attacks on voter ID requirements, time restrictions on early voting that make it difficult to cast ballots on the weekend before Election Day, and rules nullifying ballots that are cast in wrong precincts. 

The Times reports that Soros was in contact with Elias in January 2014, while the attorney was exploring federal lawsuits before the midterms and before the 2016 cycle, said Vachon, Soros'  adviser, Michael Vachon. Elias himself refused comment Friday about the lawsuits' funding.

Soros is supporting lawsuits filed in Ohio and Wisconsin last month, and is helping finance a case Elias and other groups filed in North Carolina last year.

Clinton and Democrats argue that the states' voting laws affect poor, minority, and young voters, but Republicans say the new laws, enacted since 2010, serve as protection against election fraud. 

Via NewsMax

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‘Go Sue Your Own People': Kasich Rips Hillary’s Ohio Voting Laws Lawsuit, Cites Hypocrisy

Ohio Gov. John Kasich accused former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton of engaging in “demagoguery” one day after she delivered a speech on voting rights, citing her hypocrisy on the issue and her opposition to Ohio’s voting laws.

In a Friday interview with Fox News’ Bill Hemmer, Kasich blasted Clinton, saying that rather than worrying about Ohio’s laws, which has 27 days of early voting, she should worry about her own state of New York, where early voting just isn’t a thing.

In her Thursday speech in Houston, Clinton accused Republicans of “systematically and deliberately trying to stop millions of American citizens from voting.”

“First of all, I think it’s demagoguery. And secondly, if she wants to sue somebody, let her sue New York,” Kasich said. “In Ohio, we have like 27 days of early voting. OK, 27 days, a couple hundred hours. In New York, the only early voting — there is none. The only voting that occurs is on Election Day? What is she talking about?”

“I like Hillary, but I gotta tell you — the idea that we are going to divide Americans and we’re going to use demagoguery, I don’t like it,” Kasich said. “Now, I haven’t said a word about Hillary, but to come into the state of Ohio and say we are repressing the vote when New York has only Election Day and we have 27 days, what’s she — come on! That’s just silliness. I’m disappointed in her, frankly.”

Clinton’s campaign lawyer is part of an ongoing lawsuit going after voting laws in both Ohio and Wisconsin, though the campaign is not technically part of the suit.

“Don’t be coming in and saying we are trying to keep people from voting when her own state has less opportunity for voting than my state — and she is going to sue my state? I mean, come on, that’s just silly, that’s not an attack, that’s just silly,” Kasich said.

Via: The Daily Caller

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Cleveland police officer Michael Brelo not guilty

CLEVELAND, Ohio – A judge ruled Saturday morning that Cleveland police officer Michael Brelo is not guilty of two charges of voluntary manslaughter in connection with the Nov. 29, 2012 police chase and shooting that ended in the deaths of two people.

Cuyahoga Common Pleas Judge John P. O'Donnell said that while Brelo did fire lethal shots at Timothy Russell and Malissa Williams, other officers did as well.

O'Donnell also concluded that Brelo was not guilty of the lesser included offense of felonious assault because he was legally justified in his use of deadly force.

Brelo, 31, was one of more than 100 police officers to participate in a 22-minute police chase, and one of 13 who shot at a 1979 Chevy Malibu. 

Via: Cleveland.com

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ObamaCare Devastating Local Govt. And Public School Workers

Posted February 21, 2014

State And Local Officials Have Conceded That ObamaCare Has Forced Municipal Governments And Public Schools To Cut Hours Of Part-Time Employees. “Cities, counties, public schools and community colleges around the country have limited or reduced the work hours of part-time employees to avoid having to provide them with health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, state and local officials say.” (Robert Pear, “Public Sector Cuts Part-Time Shifts To Bypass Insurance Law,” The New York Times, 2/20/14)

Despite The Obama Administration’s Second Delay Of The ObamaCare Employer Mandate, The Hours Of Teachers, Prison Guards, And 911 Dispatchers Have Been Cut. “Even after the administration said this month that it would ease coverage requirements for larger employers, public employers generally said they were keeping the restrictions on work hours because their obligation to provide health insurance, starting in 2015, would be based on hours worked by employees this year. Among those whose hours have been restricted in recent months are police dispatchers, prison guards, substitute teachers, bus drivers, athletic coaches, school custodians, cafeteria workers and part-time professors.” (Robert Pear, “Public Sector Cuts Part-Time Shifts To Bypass Insurance Law,” The New York Times, 2/20/14)

• The City Of Medina, Ohio, Reduced The Hours Of Part-Time Employees From 35 Hours A Week To 29. “In Medina, Ohio, about 30 miles south of Cleveland, Mayor Dennis Hanwell said the city had lowered the limit for part-time employees to 29 hours a week, from 35. Workers’ wages were reduced accordingly, he said. ‘Our choice was to cut the hours or give them health care, and we could not afford the latter,’ Mr. Hanwell, a Republican, said. The city’s 120 part-time employees include office clerks, sanitation workers, park inspectors and police dispatchers.” (Robert Pear, “Public Sector Cuts Part-Time Shifts To Bypass Insurance Law,” The New York Times, 2/20/14)
   
• In Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, Hours Were Reduced For Part-Time Employees Such As 911 Dispatchers, Prison Guards, And Emergency Responders. “Lawrence County, in western Pennsylvania, reduced the limit for part-time employees to 28 hours a week, from 32. Dan Vogler, the Republican chairman of the county Board of Commissioners, said the cuts affected prison guards and emergency service personnel at the county’s 911 call center.” (Robert Pear, “Public Sector Cuts Part-Time Shifts To Bypass Insurance Law,” The New York Times, 2/20/14)

School Districts Across The Country Are Reducing Hours Of Part-Time Employees Because Of ObamaCare

ObamaCare Is Having “Unintended Consequences For School Systems Across The Nation,” According To A Connecticut Schools Superintendent.  “Mark D. Benigni, the superintendent of schools in Meriden, Conn., and a board member of the American Association of School Administrators, said in an interview that the new health care law was having ‘unintended consequences for school systems across the nation.’” (Robert Pear, “Public Sector Cuts Part-Time Shifts To Bypass Insurance Law,” The New York Times, 2/20/14)

Via: GOP.com

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DEM. REP. SAYS PROPOSED VOTER ID LAWS ARE ‘THINLY VEILED ATTEMPTS’ TO ‘SUPPRESS THE VOTING RIGHTS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS’

Ohio Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio) sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder last week asking him to review two proposed voting measures she claims are designed to “suppress the voting rights of African Americans and other minorities.”

“I am concerned about restrictive legislation concerning voter photo identification and the reduction of early voting days pending in the Ohio legislature, and seek your assistance,” Fudge wrote in her letter.

Rep. Marcia Fudge. (Image source: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

The legislation, S. 238 and H.B. 269, would reduce the number of absentee voting days by six, prohibit pre-paid absentee ballots from being mailed to every voter and require individuals present a form of photo ID to vote.

“I believe both of these proposals are designed to systemically restrict the access of eligible Ohioans’ to the voting booth, particularly minorities, students and the elderly,” Fudge said of the proposals.

Via: The Blaze

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OHIO MAN ENDURES EVERY LEGAL GUN OWNER’S NIGHTMARE AFTER CALLING POLICE TO REPORT A SHOOTING

An Ohio man will finally get his legally-owned pistol back nine months after police confiscated it following his controversial arrest in February. He was never convicted of any crimes and his arrest occurred after he called police to report a potential crime in progress.

The city of Cleveland reportedly agreed this week to settle the federal lawsuit filed by Derrick Washington over what he says was the illegal seizure of his .38-caliber handgun. Police had refused to return his gun even after a city prosecutor refused to press charges due to a lack of evidence.

shutterstock.com

The ordeal began on Feb. 10 when Washington called 911 to report a possible shooting. At one point during the police investigation, he told the officers that he had a firearm in his car and a valid concealed carry license. According to the police report, officers also claim he told them he had two vodka drinks, a claim Washington’s lawyer denies.

Washington was arrested and accused of using weapons while intoxicated and illegally carrying a concealed weapon. While Washington does have a valid concealed carry license, police say the charge was valid because they claim he failed to inform officers immediately that he had a license to carry a concealed weapon.

Washington’s attorney, J. Gary Seewald told the Plain Dealer that his client told officers about his license as soon as he could.

Police searched his vehicle and hauled Washington to jail, where he remained for three days. When one of the arresting officers contacted the assistant city prosecutor about pursuing the case, the prosecutor said there was not enough evidence and dropped the charges. But even though Washington walked free, police kept his firearm under a city ordinance that allows the department to keep seized weapons until a “court of competent jurisdiction” determines the weapon must be returned.

Via: The Blaze

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[VIDEO] Ohio Company Cuts Insurance For 1,000 Employees Due To Obamacare

BY: Washington Free Beacon Staff
November 21, 2013 10:47 am

Ohio company PSC Metals confirmed Wednesday that they will discontinue their company insurance plan for some 1,000 employees to save money under Obamacare’s regulation, WEWS-OH reports. The employees will likely now have to seek health insurance within the Obamacare exchanges.

In the report, Prof. Tom Sutton of Baldwin-Wallace University said that the company would save more money by paying the penalty rather than offering coverage. Sutton noted that because the Obama administration delayed the employer mandate in July, “if [PSC Metals] cuts insurance now, they’re going to have a full year of no penalty and no insurance costs before 2015.”

Via: WFB

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[VIDEO] Boehner Shares Stories of Ohioans Hurt By Obamacare

BY: Washington Free Beacon Staff
November 14, 2013 2:48 pm

In an effort to garner support for the Keep Your Health Plan Act (H.R. 3350), Speaker John Boehner shared the stories of two of his constituents who have experienced hardships thanks to Obamacare.

One constituent and his wife have had their insurance plan canceled and replaced with a plan that will cost them an additional  $500 per month. Another man, Brian, owns a small business and was informed that his insurance rates will double. Brian is fearful because if the premiums double, he will be forced to shut down his business. His workers will thus lose their jobs and health care insurance.

Boehner warned “Now these are just two stories from my district Ohio. And there’s millions more of them all around the country. Premiums are going up. People are losing their coverage. And small business owners are being terrified” and encouraged House members to vote for the Keep Your Health Plan Act.

Via: WFB

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Obamacare: Not Enough Young, Healthy Enrollees to Offset Costs

Younger, healthier Americans needed to make Obamacare financially viable are not signing up in sufficient numbers. Most enrollees have been people over 50, many with pre-existing medical conditions.
 

The skew toward the older crowd raises concerns that there will not be enough payments from young people to offset the cost of providing coverage for the older ailing population, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The early numbers, while statistically too small to draw conclusions, raise concerns about the practicality of the insurance marketplaces.

"We need a broad range of people to make this work, and we're not seeing that right now," Heather Thiltgen of Medical Mutual, one of Ohio largest insurers told the Journal. "We're seeing the population skewing older."

The target enrollee is someone around 40 years if age.

If the drift continues, a more expensive cohort of customers, older and less healthy, would drive up costs for everyone. The federal government had committed to reimburse insurers if they underestimated costs.

This may still not be enough to keep the system afloat should the overall customer pool be appreciably older than forecast.

Widespread problems with the healthcare.gov system serving the 36 states that are not operating their own marketplaces have dissuaded younger, healthier applicants from enrolling. Those who cannot chance being without coverage have persevered.

Testifying before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Tuesday, Medicare chief Marilyn Tavenner said the administration is seeking to remedy the problems with youth enrollment as soon as the website is fully operational.

“Based on our analysis we will have it fully functioning by the end of November,” Tavenner told the committee.

Via: Newsmax

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