When the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act goes fully into effect, employee benefits and individual policies will need to establish various criteria in order to be considered suitable under federal law. But there are rumblings in Washington indicating that lawmakers may not be subject to the same standard.
According to public policy news website Politico, sources familiar with the ACA say that legislators may be exempted from the federal mandate, which requires consumers to obtain health coverage so as "essential benefits" are provided for through a private insurer or a state-based exchange.
Politico insiders tell the source that doing so could jeopardize how their perceived by the voting public, who may become disillusioned if they're held to a different standard than everyone else.
Meanwhile, with consumers being required to obtain health coverage before January 2014 or face a penalty, that doesn't appear to be having an impact on their likelihood of purchasing coverage. A recent survey conducted by insurance plan information company HealthPocket found that two-thirds of respondents said they would not be more motivated to obtain health insurance by being penalized.
