1 00:00:01,320 --> 00:00:05,800 Speaker 1: Fraud has become a major headline, especially when it deals 2 00:00:05,880 --> 00:00:08,800 Speaker 1: with the Affordable Care Act, which we now know is 3 00:00:08,840 --> 00:00:12,879 Speaker 1: anything but affordable. And now we're finding out more about 4 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 1: your tax dollars going to insurance programs companies, and in 5 00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:22,759 Speaker 1: fact the beneficiaries don't even know it's even giving them coverage. 6 00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:25,959 Speaker 1: I want to take you backwards to where we learned 7 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:29,800 Speaker 1: a lot of this from the GOA fraud investigation. The 8 00:00:29,840 --> 00:00:34,600 Speaker 1: Government Accountability Office, used by Republicans of the centerpiece of 9 00:00:34,640 --> 00:00:40,599 Speaker 1: their new expose A has found significant fraud vulnerabilities in 10 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:45,279 Speaker 1: how the ACA, the Affordable Care Act marketplace processes enrollment 11 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:50,639 Speaker 1: and taxpayer subsidies. Some of the key findings are truly shocking. 12 00:00:51,120 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 1: The GOA created fictitious applicants with fake or invalid social 13 00:00:55,560 --> 00:00:59,400 Speaker 1: Security numbers, and the ACA marketplace still approved them for 14 00:00:59,480 --> 00:01:03,920 Speaker 1: subsidy and policies. In fact, nearly all of the fake 15 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:09,440 Speaker 1: applicants were accepted. The report found instances of duplicate and 16 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:14,120 Speaker 1: repeated subcy payments tied to the same social security numbers, 17 00:01:14,480 --> 00:01:18,440 Speaker 1: including one social Security number appearing on many separate policies, 18 00:01:18,959 --> 00:01:24,080 Speaker 1: and that suggested poor verification systems. In other words, the 19 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:27,280 Speaker 1: insurance companies know that they're going to get paid for 20 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:31,280 Speaker 1: people that don't deserve the coverage, but who cares if 21 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:36,320 Speaker 1: you're getting paid. Tens of thousands of subcy payments also 22 00:01:36,440 --> 00:01:40,440 Speaker 1: were connected to deceased individuals as well. That's right, your 23 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:44,000 Speaker 1: tax dollar is going to dead people. And what better 24 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:48,920 Speaker 1: client for these big insurance comings than someone that's literally dead. 25 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:51,360 Speaker 1: You don't have to worry about any claims at all. 26 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 1: It's free money, all because of fraud. We also now 27 00:01:56,480 --> 00:02:00,160 Speaker 1: know that the payments were going to brokers. Brokers were 28 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:04,000 Speaker 1: able to enroll a lot of people and switch plans 29 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:07,560 Speaker 1: on half of people without clear verification procedures. What does 30 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:12,680 Speaker 1: that mean? Big incentives for them, Commissions going for each 31 00:02:12,720 --> 00:02:16,000 Speaker 1: person they were signing up, including multiple people under the 32 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:20,600 Speaker 1: same Social Security number, or dead people all together. The 33 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:26,200 Speaker 1: estimates are also rising. Republicans are now suggesting billions, not 34 00:02:26,360 --> 00:02:32,360 Speaker 1: hundreds of millions, but billions in improper payments annually, including 35 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:38,360 Speaker 1: potentially twenty seven billion they're now saying in inproper subsidy payments, 36 00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:43,520 Speaker 1: though exact figures are hard to find why because there's 37 00:02:43,639 --> 00:02:49,320 Speaker 1: so much fraud now, Republicans are now demanding that the 38 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:53,880 Speaker 1: system be changed because it is filled with systemic fraud, waste, 39 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:58,839 Speaker 1: and abuse in the ACA marketplace known as Obamacare. It's 40 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:02,919 Speaker 1: costing taxpayers and then driving up premiums for legitimate human 41 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:07,880 Speaker 1: beings that aren't dead, legitimate in rollees. And that is 42 00:03:07,919 --> 00:03:11,839 Speaker 1: where John Thune comes in. Center thom the Democrat from 43 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:16,080 Speaker 1: South Dakota, and other GOP leaders are now citing the 44 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 1: GOA findings as a justification for opposing the extension of 45 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:24,640 Speaker 1: the Affordable Care Act and the premium tax credits without 46 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:29,720 Speaker 1: structural reforms. Here's Center Thune talking about Obamacare and just 47 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:31,280 Speaker 1: how broken the system is. 48 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 2: Option a little over a decade ago, premiums have gone 49 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 2: up two hundred and twenty one percent. Here's what you 50 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:39,960 Speaker 2: said last time we talked end of September. The premium 51 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:43,080 Speaker 2: tax credit issue is something we're willing to have a 52 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:45,400 Speaker 2: conversation about. But the fact of the matter is it 53 00:03:45,440 --> 00:03:49,480 Speaker 2: is rife with waste, fraud, and abuse. It needs reforms. 54 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:52,600 Speaker 2: But you're willing to work on this issue in particular. Yeah, 55 00:03:52,640 --> 00:03:55,360 Speaker 2: I mean, part of this is that the base Obamacare 56 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:57,480 Speaker 2: program is not going to be affected. What's going to 57 00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:00,640 Speaker 2: be affected is the enhancements that the Democrats added when 58 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:04,120 Speaker 2: they have the majorities. But we're willing to have that conversation. 59 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:05,200 Speaker 1: But you got to do that. 60 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:08,600 Speaker 2: You can't do that in the context of a hostage 61 00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:12,600 Speaker 2: taking situation. Did they win the hostage taking situation? As 62 00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:15,040 Speaker 2: far as the politics here, because there's a lot of 63 00:04:15,040 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 2: people that are going to see their healthcare premiums skyrock. Yeah, 64 00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:22,800 Speaker 2: and there in that marketplace, which represents about seven percent 65 00:04:22,839 --> 00:04:25,120 Speaker 2: of the American people who get their insurance through the 66 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:29,320 Speaker 2: Obamacare exchanges, particularly those that are above the four hundred 67 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:33,479 Speaker 2: percent poverty level, which is where the Biden COVID bonus 68 00:04:33,600 --> 00:04:35,800 Speaker 2: is kicked in. Yeah, there's seeing some increase. Now, there 69 00:04:35,839 --> 00:04:37,520 Speaker 2: are other things they can do, they can shift around 70 00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:39,599 Speaker 2: at different markets. But the fact of the matter is 71 00:04:39,640 --> 00:04:43,400 Speaker 2: we're open to fixing and addressing this, but you've got 72 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:45,920 Speaker 2: to do it in a way bread that actually solves 73 00:04:45,960 --> 00:04:48,400 Speaker 2: the problem in lowers costs if you stay on this 74 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:50,520 Speaker 2: path right now with all the waste, fraud, and abuse. 75 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:52,840 Speaker 2: The same thing is true today that I said last September, 76 00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:55,000 Speaker 2: and that is that there are no income caps, there 77 00:04:55,040 --> 00:04:58,200 Speaker 2: are zero dollar premiums. There are literally millions of people 78 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:00,279 Speaker 2: in the exchange. You don't even know they're covered because 79 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:03,280 Speaker 2: the payments go directly from the federal government to the 80 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:06,440 Speaker 2: insurance companies, and so people are automatically they're audo or 81 00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:09,680 Speaker 2: rolled by the insurance companies. And there's no accountability in 82 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:13,000 Speaker 2: this program. And the Government Accountability Office sisted and audited 83 00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:16,599 Speaker 2: this program, and of the twenty fay claims they submitted, 84 00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:19,480 Speaker 2: nineteen of them got approved. That's a ninety five percent 85 00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:22,800 Speaker 2: failure rate. So it's got to be reformed and we're 86 00:05:22,800 --> 00:05:25,360 Speaker 2: open to that, and if the Democrats want to work 87 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:28,479 Speaker 2: with us, we won't get it done before the Christmas holiday, 88 00:05:28,520 --> 00:05:31,159 Speaker 2: but when we come back in January, there are discussions 89 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:33,160 Speaker 2: that are going on right now. We have folks who 90 00:05:33,200 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 2: are interested in fixing it. 91 00:05:34,560 --> 00:05:38,680 Speaker 1: There seems to be real momentum now by Republicans because 92 00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:42,279 Speaker 1: of this amount of fraud that they should oppose the 93 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:46,480 Speaker 1: extensions of the ACA and the premium tax credits because 94 00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:51,279 Speaker 1: there needs to be reformed. The insufficient fraud protections in 95 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:56,039 Speaker 1: the Democratic proposals is also a major problem. Democrats don't 96 00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:59,440 Speaker 1: want to fix this problem because they're biggest donors, which 97 00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:04,040 Speaker 1: is the healthcare industry. The health insurance companies are giving 98 00:06:04,080 --> 00:06:09,640 Speaker 1: them millions and millions of dollars in campaign donations, and 99 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:13,400 Speaker 1: that's exactly why Democrats are doing this right now now. 100 00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:17,960 Speaker 1: Pressuring Democrats to include verification and anti fraud measures in 101 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:23,880 Speaker 1: these subsidy extensions is something Republicans need to mandate. Center 102 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:28,080 Speaker 1: Thune and other Senate Republicans have framed the debate as quote, 103 00:06:28,120 --> 00:06:32,960 Speaker 1: you can't extend subsidies without fixing fraud and integrity issues first. 104 00:06:33,520 --> 00:06:40,080 Speaker 1: They want legitimate legislative language requiring stricter eligibility checks and 105 00:06:40,160 --> 00:06:46,839 Speaker 1: stronger fraud deterrence mechanisms before supporting further funding. Now here's 106 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:49,560 Speaker 1: also with the House Speaker Mike Johnson had to say 107 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:52,360 Speaker 1: about this on CNBC of. 108 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:56,680 Speaker 3: The COVID Era enhanced subsidy, the premium text credit has 109 00:06:56,720 --> 00:06:59,679 Speaker 3: been a big issue around here of debate for months now. 110 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:01,880 Speaker 3: We knew that we were coming to the end of 111 00:07:01,880 --> 00:07:04,760 Speaker 3: the year when it would expire. And remember, the Democrats 112 00:07:04,839 --> 00:07:08,000 Speaker 3: created this COVID era subsidy. They are the ones that 113 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:10,679 Speaker 3: put the expiration date on it. And now they're turning 114 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:13,560 Speaker 3: to Republicans as if we should we should save that 115 00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 3: in some way, we couldn't find consensus on it with 116 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:19,200 Speaker 3: the body in order to pass it. Here's the reason 117 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:22,040 Speaker 3: everybody needs to understand. There's a false narrative out there 118 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:26,160 Speaker 3: about these these subsidies. It subsidized in insurance companies, and 119 00:07:26,240 --> 00:07:29,239 Speaker 3: when you do that, you're masking the costs, the rising 120 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:31,960 Speaker 3: cost of healthcare, and you're rising making the premiums rise 121 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:35,240 Speaker 3: even further. But here's here's the false narrative. The Democrats 122 00:07:35,480 --> 00:07:38,679 Speaker 3: are pretending as though this affects everybody in the country. 123 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:42,920 Speaker 3: It affects seven percent of Americans this extended subsidy. And 124 00:07:43,040 --> 00:07:45,960 Speaker 3: of those, even if it was extended without any reforms 125 00:07:45,960 --> 00:07:48,960 Speaker 3: at all, it would only reduce that small group of 126 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:51,680 Speaker 3: Americans premiums by five point seven percent. 127 00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:56,640 Speaker 4: The Democrats are twenty four million Americans. No, I understand 128 00:07:56,640 --> 00:07:58,640 Speaker 4: the ass is not for everybody, but it's twenty two 129 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:03,160 Speaker 4: to twenty four million America. And there are Republican some 130 00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:07,040 Speaker 4: Republican Republicans whose districts are going to face some real 131 00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:09,360 Speaker 4: trouble and some real issues with us. We've talked to 132 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:12,760 Speaker 4: some of them. I understand that Michael Awler from New 133 00:08:12,840 --> 00:08:15,880 Speaker 4: York was particularly upset yesterday that he was kind of 134 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:21,040 Speaker 4: furious about it, said it's idiotic, it's political malpractice. That's 135 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:22,840 Speaker 4: what he told Axio. So on some of this, they 136 00:08:22,880 --> 00:08:25,360 Speaker 4: said they could hear him yelling from outside the room 137 00:08:25,520 --> 00:08:26,920 Speaker 4: yesterday where all of you were meeting. 138 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:28,960 Speaker 3: Well, no, no, I was in that room with him 139 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:31,280 Speaker 3: and Micha Lauler's one of my close friends. In fact, 140 00:08:31,280 --> 00:08:33,000 Speaker 3: I was with him in his district in New York 141 00:08:33,040 --> 00:08:35,400 Speaker 3: City just two weeks ago campaigning for a couple of days, 142 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:37,480 Speaker 3: raising him money and helping him get reelected. He's an 143 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:39,960 Speaker 3: essential member of our conference and a really smart guy. 144 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:43,520 Speaker 3: And what he was arguing for is this seven percent 145 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:45,920 Speaker 3: of Americans. But here's the point. What we're going to 146 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:49,040 Speaker 3: do today is the first of multiple steps to help 147 00:08:49,120 --> 00:08:52,160 Speaker 3: not just seven percent of Americans, but one hundred percent 148 00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:55,920 Speaker 3: of Americans reduce their premiums, actually reduce their premiums, not 149 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:59,319 Speaker 3: subsidized insurance companies to raise the premiums, but reduce them. 150 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:01,959 Speaker 3: And the first of those votes is today. This is 151 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:04,080 Speaker 3: the Lower Premiums for All Americans Act we're going to 152 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:06,880 Speaker 3: have on the floor, and it's going to actually achieve 153 00:09:07,160 --> 00:09:09,400 Speaker 3: if it's signed in a law, exactly what we're saying. 154 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:12,400 Speaker 3: It has many components. Among them are the cost sharing 155 00:09:12,559 --> 00:09:15,720 Speaker 3: reduction programs, which will reduce all premiums across the board 156 00:09:15,720 --> 00:09:18,160 Speaker 3: by at least eleven percent and by the way, save 157 00:09:18,240 --> 00:09:22,400 Speaker 3: taxpayers tens of billions of dollars. We have the Health 158 00:09:23,360 --> 00:09:25,400 Speaker 3: Association Health Plans that will be a part of this today, 159 00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:29,120 Speaker 3: which will give more flexibility to small businesses and others 160 00:09:29,120 --> 00:09:32,960 Speaker 3: and insurance in the marketplace. You've got PBM transparency as 161 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:35,560 Speaker 3: a part of this, and the choice accounts, so there'll 162 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:38,360 Speaker 3: be a lot more flexibility in the system. Consumers will 163 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:41,120 Speaker 3: be able to have more choices and their cost will 164 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:45,760 Speaker 3: go down. Will also increase access to care through these reforms, 165 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:48,000 Speaker 3: and again this is just the first of many. We're 166 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:50,200 Speaker 3: going to do more of this in the first quarter 167 00:09:50,240 --> 00:09:53,360 Speaker 3: of next year. Republicans are the ones who will fix healthcare. 168 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:54,840 Speaker 3: It is the Democrats who broke it. 169 00:09:55,559 --> 00:09:59,840 Speaker 1: Republicans will fix healthcare, and Democrats are the ones who 170 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:04,240 Speaker 1: it waste, fraud and abuse. It's part of what the 171 00:10:04,280 --> 00:10:07,800 Speaker 1: Trump administration said they were going to expose in our government. 172 00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:11,960 Speaker 1: It's part of what DOGE was created to stop. Well, 173 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:14,280 Speaker 1: now we have a new report out from the US 174 00:10:14,320 --> 00:10:19,840 Speaker 1: Government Accountability Office and it is raising shocking concerns about 175 00:10:19,880 --> 00:10:24,800 Speaker 1: fraud and deliberate improper payments within the Affordable Care Act 176 00:10:25,160 --> 00:10:29,640 Speaker 1: and the insurance exchanges. The Government Accountability Office releasing the 177 00:10:29,640 --> 00:10:35,439 Speaker 1: preliminary watchdog report showing not only that, but serious vulnerabilities 178 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:40,280 Speaker 1: and the ACA marketplace subsidies and people are making billions 179 00:10:40,280 --> 00:10:45,280 Speaker 1: of dollars off of our tax dollars with fraud. Federal 180 00:10:45,320 --> 00:10:51,200 Speaker 1: auditors created fictitious identities to test the system. All fake 181 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:56,400 Speaker 1: applicants in twenty twenty four were approved for subsidized coverage. 182 00:10:56,960 --> 00:11:02,760 Speaker 1: In fact, eighteen of the twenty fake applicants remained active 183 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:07,280 Speaker 1: into twenty twenty five. Fake and rollies were awarded thousands 184 00:11:07,320 --> 00:11:13,120 Speaker 1: of dollars in subsidies per month taxpayers money automatically paid 185 00:11:13,559 --> 00:11:16,280 Speaker 1: to the insurers. And now you know why the insurance 186 00:11:16,280 --> 00:11:22,880 Speaker 1: industry is giving record dollars to Democrats who were in office. 187 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:27,280 Speaker 1: The Watchdog has not completed its full final report. The 188 00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:32,719 Speaker 1: lawmakers are already calling the preliminary findings not just alarming, 189 00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:37,679 Speaker 1: but damning. House Speaker Mike Johnson saying this last night 190 00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:38,960 Speaker 1: on Fox News Channel. 191 00:11:39,120 --> 00:11:41,240 Speaker 3: The Government Accountability Office just came out with a new 192 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:44,800 Speaker 3: report this past week, Laura, and it is astounding. Just 193 00:11:44,840 --> 00:11:47,880 Speaker 3: for example, over the last two years, they submitted twenty 194 00:11:47,920 --> 00:11:52,040 Speaker 3: four to two dozen totally fraudulent applications for these Unaffordable 195 00:11:52,040 --> 00:11:55,120 Speaker 3: Care Act subsidies. Okay, twenty three out of twenty four 196 00:11:55,320 --> 00:11:58,160 Speaker 3: were approved. There were no sub security numbers provided, no 197 00:11:58,280 --> 00:12:02,040 Speaker 3: verifications incomb or even citizenship. Okay, of course, not right. 198 00:12:02,440 --> 00:12:05,040 Speaker 3: This tens of thousands of dollars paid to each one 199 00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:07,800 Speaker 3: of those, to the insurance companies for people that do 200 00:12:07,920 --> 00:12:11,880 Speaker 3: not exist. Okay, dead people. Ninety four million dollars of 201 00:12:11,960 --> 00:12:15,839 Speaker 3: taxpayer dollars paid insurance companies for people that have been deceased. 202 00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:19,200 Speaker 3: Then you had soci security numbers sixty eight thousand, so 203 00:12:19,280 --> 00:12:22,000 Speaker 3: security numbers in twenty twenty four alone were used for 204 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:25,600 Speaker 3: multiple persons, in other words, multiple people using one number 205 00:12:25,880 --> 00:12:28,680 Speaker 3: to builk the system and defraud it. That's the system 206 00:12:28,720 --> 00:12:31,360 Speaker 3: that the Democrats created. That's the one they want us 207 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:33,640 Speaker 3: to subsidize. So when we go forward with the truth, 208 00:12:33,800 --> 00:12:35,960 Speaker 3: we explain to the American people the reason their cost 209 00:12:36,080 --> 00:12:38,520 Speaker 3: out of control is because they created a broken system. 210 00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:41,200 Speaker 3: We have the solutions to fix it. That is the 211 00:12:41,280 --> 00:12:43,520 Speaker 3: message and the truth. I think that's going to prevail 212 00:12:43,559 --> 00:12:44,680 Speaker 3: as you go into the election year. 213 00:12:45,280 --> 00:12:48,959 Speaker 1: Obamacare sold is affordable care it's not that at all. 214 00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:53,800 Speaker 1: Ninety four million send to insurers for people that were dead. Now, 215 00:12:53,800 --> 00:12:55,440 Speaker 1: how much that ninety four million is going to come 216 00:12:55,440 --> 00:12:58,719 Speaker 1: back the American taxpayer. I think you know the answer, No, 217 00:12:58,720 --> 00:13:02,679 Speaker 1: none of it is coming back. Sixty eight thousand Social 218 00:13:02,720 --> 00:13:07,560 Speaker 1: Security numbers used by multiple people to cheat the system, 219 00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:11,560 Speaker 1: Huge amounts paid to insurance companies, which are the top 220 00:13:11,720 --> 00:13:16,440 Speaker 1: donors to Democrats in Congress, for countless thousands of people 221 00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:21,440 Speaker 1: who literally don't exist. The question is would anybody go 222 00:13:21,480 --> 00:13:24,480 Speaker 1: to jail because of the billions and billions in fraud? 223 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:28,440 Speaker 1: The answer I think you know now is no, that 224 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:30,800 Speaker 1: is not going to happen. We are not going to 225 00:13:30,880 --> 00:13:34,880 Speaker 1: get our money back. So how do we now move forward? 226 00:13:35,840 --> 00:13:38,520 Speaker 1: Number One, We've got to make sure that people understand 227 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:43,120 Speaker 1: just how unaffordable the Affordable Care Act is. Democrats have 228 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:47,160 Speaker 1: misled hard working Americans and claim that the Affordable Care 229 00:13:47,200 --> 00:13:50,840 Speaker 1: Act with lower health care premiums when their law was enacted. 230 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:56,920 Speaker 1: What has happened since then? Premiums have skyrocketed. Since twenty fourteen, 231 00:13:57,559 --> 00:14:02,400 Speaker 1: premium costs on the ACA changes have risen nearly two 232 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:07,880 Speaker 1: times faster than employer coverage. Why because they know the 233 00:14:07,880 --> 00:14:12,120 Speaker 1: government money's there for the taking. It has also been 234 00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:16,040 Speaker 1: more than three times faster than inflation. How do they 235 00:14:16,040 --> 00:14:19,720 Speaker 1: get away with it when it's government dollars tax dollars. 236 00:14:20,160 --> 00:14:25,080 Speaker 1: There is no real metric to business or to saying no. Again, 237 00:14:25,280 --> 00:14:27,960 Speaker 1: the insurance companies know who to pay. That's the Democratic 238 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:32,000 Speaker 1: Party who then protects them and their record earnings. It 239 00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:35,800 Speaker 1: is without question that the Unaffordable Care Act has failed 240 00:14:35,840 --> 00:14:39,200 Speaker 1: the American people, and now Republicans are having to deal 241 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:42,400 Speaker 1: with the fallout and trying to fix it. What we 242 00:14:42,600 --> 00:14:45,760 Speaker 1: know is the Affordable Care Act is anything but affordable. 243 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:49,400 Speaker 1: In fact, it's already a disaster, and without the government subsidies, 244 00:14:49,760 --> 00:14:52,640 Speaker 1: nobody could afford it. But this is where we are 245 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:56,960 Speaker 1: with the Democratic Party now. Constantly they lie and they 246 00:14:57,000 --> 00:15:00,640 Speaker 1: try to tell you that the Affordable Care Act is working, 247 00:15:01,040 --> 00:15:03,400 Speaker 1: that it is something you should be proud of. Well, 248 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:08,640 Speaker 1: House Republicans have introduced a bill to lower healthcare premiums 249 00:15:08,680 --> 00:15:11,920 Speaker 1: for all Americans. Here's more of what Speaker Johnson had 250 00:15:11,920 --> 00:15:12,960 Speaker 1: to say about that. 251 00:15:13,400 --> 00:15:16,640 Speaker 3: We're very close and we're delighted to present this and 252 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:19,160 Speaker 3: put it through the House next week. Here's the important thing. 253 00:15:19,200 --> 00:15:22,760 Speaker 3: You said it very well, Laura The Democrats broke America's 254 00:15:22,760 --> 00:15:25,440 Speaker 3: healthcare system fifteen years ago when they came out with 255 00:15:25,480 --> 00:15:29,160 Speaker 3: that Obamacare proposal, the Unaffordable Care Act, that did exactly 256 00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:32,560 Speaker 3: the opposite of every single thing they promised. Premiums have 257 00:15:32,640 --> 00:15:36,600 Speaker 3: skyrocketed in some categories up to seventy or ninety percent 258 00:15:36,680 --> 00:15:39,400 Speaker 3: in the last fifteen years. They will continue to skyrocket. 259 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:42,800 Speaker 3: So the Democrats proposal right now is subsidize it further. 260 00:15:42,960 --> 00:15:45,560 Speaker 3: They want the American tax payer to give billions of 261 00:15:45,560 --> 00:15:48,560 Speaker 3: dollars to insurance companies in a program that is just 262 00:15:48,720 --> 00:15:51,080 Speaker 3: riddled with fraud, waste, and abuse. We're not going to 263 00:15:51,120 --> 00:15:54,280 Speaker 3: do that. Republicans are bringing common sense solutions. We are 264 00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:57,760 Speaker 3: bringing solutions forward that will actually lower the premiums for 265 00:15:57,800 --> 00:16:00,320 Speaker 3: all Americans. It's long overdue, and we've got some great 266 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:01,040 Speaker 3: ideas to do it. 267 00:16:01,440 --> 00:16:03,800 Speaker 1: You listen to the fix there from the Speaker, and 268 00:16:03,840 --> 00:16:06,080 Speaker 1: he's right, there has to be a fix when you 269 00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:09,200 Speaker 1: have a system that is paying huge amounts to insurance 270 00:16:09,240 --> 00:16:13,200 Speaker 1: companies for countless thousands of people who don't exist. It's 271 00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:15,960 Speaker 1: a problem and you may ask yourself, how to the 272 00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:20,280 Speaker 1: insurance companies even allow this to happen. Well, if someone 273 00:16:20,280 --> 00:16:24,520 Speaker 1: doesn't exist. Isn't that literally the best possible person that 274 00:16:24,560 --> 00:16:27,680 Speaker 1: you could ensure. In fact, you could also argue that 275 00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:31,440 Speaker 1: the insurance companies have actual incentives to take money from 276 00:16:31,440 --> 00:16:35,160 Speaker 1: the government for people that don't exist. That's why this 277 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:38,920 Speaker 1: undercover investigation in rolling twenty three out of twenty four 278 00:16:39,040 --> 00:16:43,000 Speaker 1: fictional applicants for subsidized health insurance plans to the ACA 279 00:16:43,080 --> 00:16:46,560 Speaker 1: exchanges should make everyone angry. I don't care if you're 280 00:16:46,560 --> 00:16:51,280 Speaker 1: a Republican or a Democrat. They also know and they've 281 00:16:51,320 --> 00:16:56,720 Speaker 1: been warned of these significant vulnerabilities and lacks anti fraud protections. 282 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:00,560 Speaker 1: The report actually suggests that there could be widespread in 283 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:05,000 Speaker 1: multiple areas of the country where this is being exploited. 284 00:17:05,600 --> 00:17:08,440 Speaker 1: You also have to go back to the other client 285 00:17:08,520 --> 00:17:10,480 Speaker 1: of the insurance company, which is the best client you'll 286 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:13,920 Speaker 1: ever have ninety four million sent to insurers for those 287 00:17:13,960 --> 00:17:17,760 Speaker 1: who are dead. Now, if you're an insurance company, what 288 00:17:17,960 --> 00:17:20,679 Speaker 1: is cheaper and what is more guaranteed to your bottom 289 00:17:20,680 --> 00:17:23,280 Speaker 1: line than premiums being paid on a human being that's dead. 290 00:17:23,320 --> 00:17:25,920 Speaker 1: You don't have to ever worry about a claim. Why 291 00:17:25,960 --> 00:17:28,040 Speaker 1: would you tell the government or try to stop that 292 00:17:28,119 --> 00:17:31,960 Speaker 1: type of fraud when it's ninety four million, literally directly 293 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:36,320 Speaker 1: to your bottom line. The GOA report finding that more 294 00:17:36,359 --> 00:17:39,880 Speaker 1: than the ninety four million were sent directly the insurance 295 00:17:39,880 --> 00:17:43,760 Speaker 1: companies on behalf of individuals that are dead. These are 296 00:17:43,800 --> 00:17:48,720 Speaker 1: what you would describe as fraudulent payments involved using dead people, 297 00:17:48,840 --> 00:17:54,200 Speaker 1: social Security numbers, and other information to then get the payouts. 298 00:17:55,119 --> 00:17:59,399 Speaker 1: Now House Budget GOP saying, it is important that we 299 00:17:59,640 --> 00:18:04,040 Speaker 1: note the issue is improper government payments and improper government 300 00:18:04,040 --> 00:18:08,480 Speaker 1: payments to our very good friends over at the insurance companies. 301 00:18:09,080 --> 00:18:14,000 Speaker 1: Their premiums have skyrocketed. Programs like Medicaid and even COVID 302 00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:17,800 Speaker 1: nineteen stimulus checks are another example of the waste, fraud, 303 00:18:17,840 --> 00:18:21,119 Speaker 1: and abuse. Every government program seems to be covered up 304 00:18:21,119 --> 00:18:23,600 Speaker 1: with people that are taking advantage of it, people that 305 00:18:23,640 --> 00:18:27,239 Speaker 1: are dead, people that should never get the benefits, who 306 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:30,879 Speaker 1: are getting the benefits, which is where the Trump administration 307 00:18:31,040 --> 00:18:34,639 Speaker 1: comes in. What the Trump administration is now said is 308 00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:37,800 Speaker 1: the government is working on these solutions, such as using 309 00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:42,320 Speaker 1: the Social Security Administration's Death Master File to identify and 310 00:18:42,480 --> 00:18:47,320 Speaker 1: stop such fraudulent payments. And what are Democrats saying about that. 311 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:52,320 Speaker 1: They're not advocating for it, they're fighting literally against it. 312 00:18:52,440 --> 00:18:55,080 Speaker 1: Tooth and nail because they want the money to keep 313 00:18:55,119 --> 00:19:01,480 Speaker 1: flowing to their biggest donors, the healthcare insurance industry. The 314 00:19:01,520 --> 00:19:06,520 Speaker 1: Senate is staring down healthcare in a major battle with 315 00:19:06,640 --> 00:19:12,080 Speaker 1: Obamacare subsidies set to expire on purpose. Why are they 316 00:19:12,119 --> 00:19:16,960 Speaker 1: set to expire? Because Democrats designed it that way. Now, 317 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:20,600 Speaker 1: you may ask yourself a question, why would they design 318 00:19:20,720 --> 00:19:25,560 Speaker 1: a program to expire on purpose? It's pretty simple. Democrats 319 00:19:25,560 --> 00:19:30,880 Speaker 1: were playing politics. They wanted this to be a political 320 00:19:30,960 --> 00:19:34,600 Speaker 1: issue that if you don't vote for them, the Democratic Party, 321 00:19:35,400 --> 00:19:39,080 Speaker 1: that then you can't afford your Obamacare, also known as 322 00:19:39,119 --> 00:19:45,480 Speaker 1: the Affordable Care Act, which is anything but affordable. They 323 00:19:45,560 --> 00:19:49,399 Speaker 1: created a crisis out of thin air, a crisis so 324 00:19:49,480 --> 00:19:52,159 Speaker 1: that then when the midterms came around, they could say, 325 00:19:52,960 --> 00:19:56,280 Speaker 1: you better stick with us, because otherwise you will lose 326 00:19:56,359 --> 00:19:58,879 Speaker 1: the healthcare that we told you we were going to 327 00:19:58,960 --> 00:20:02,640 Speaker 1: give you forever. It was a designed crisis. That's how 328 00:20:02,680 --> 00:20:06,320 Speaker 1: evil the Democratic Party was with health care, and specifically 329 00:20:06,880 --> 00:20:11,840 Speaker 1: with the subsidies around Obamacare. They also knew that Obamacare, 330 00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:14,680 Speaker 1: the quote Affordable Care Act, was never going to be affordable. 331 00:20:14,720 --> 00:20:17,840 Speaker 1: They knew from the very beginning. But what's happened since 332 00:20:17,880 --> 00:20:21,840 Speaker 1: then is even worse. Democrats had figured out that their 333 00:20:21,920 --> 00:20:27,040 Speaker 1: best donors could be the health care industry, insurance companies, hospitals, 334 00:20:27,520 --> 00:20:31,520 Speaker 1: those that get paid with these guaranteed subsidies of Obamacare, 335 00:20:32,440 --> 00:20:36,080 Speaker 1: and they would fill their campaign coffers with cash. Why 336 00:20:36,840 --> 00:20:40,480 Speaker 1: because the Democratic Party was filling their bank accounts with 337 00:20:40,640 --> 00:20:45,600 Speaker 1: guaranteed government payments at levels that even the insurance companies 338 00:20:45,640 --> 00:20:49,840 Speaker 1: could have never imagined. So here we are with a 339 00:20:49,960 --> 00:20:54,679 Speaker 1: crisis that was created by the Democrats on purpose, a 340 00:20:54,800 --> 00:20:58,720 Speaker 1: crisis that was made for political reasons only and for 341 00:20:58,840 --> 00:21:04,280 Speaker 1: reelection campaign, and now we're dealing with a fallout. Senate 342 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:08,000 Speaker 1: negotiators are set for a high wire act this week 343 00:21:08,200 --> 00:21:12,480 Speaker 1: on healthcare, and this is all happening. Wow. Many of 344 00:21:12,520 --> 00:21:16,520 Speaker 1: them are leaving Washington for the holidays without a resolution 345 00:21:16,640 --> 00:21:21,120 Speaker 1: on the expiring and hand subsidies. With lawmakers increasingly shifting 346 00:21:21,160 --> 00:21:24,680 Speaker 1: into campaign mode as the calendar flips to the new year, 347 00:21:24,920 --> 00:21:28,520 Speaker 1: it's an election year. The Chamber has been consumed for 348 00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:31,440 Speaker 1: months by a fight over the future of expiring Affordable 349 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:35,720 Speaker 1: Care Act subsidies, which were at the center of that 350 00:21:35,760 --> 00:21:39,159 Speaker 1: record breaking government shutdown. It was the Schumer shutdown. We 351 00:21:39,240 --> 00:21:42,760 Speaker 1: all know that with the subject of multiple votes and 352 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:46,960 Speaker 1: extensive negotiations in the week since so that we don't 353 00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:51,239 Speaker 1: have another government shutdown in the new year. Now, the 354 00:21:51,359 --> 00:21:54,400 Speaker 1: December thirty first deadline is set to come and go. 355 00:21:54,880 --> 00:21:57,440 Speaker 1: A bipartison group of lawmakers is trying to keep those 356 00:21:57,480 --> 00:22:00,440 Speaker 1: hopes alive that a deal could come together next month, 357 00:22:01,280 --> 00:22:05,840 Speaker 1: but they're now facing numerous problems, chief among them bringing 358 00:22:05,880 --> 00:22:10,960 Speaker 1: the fraud that has now been exposed under control, as 359 00:22:10,960 --> 00:22:14,320 Speaker 1: well as the rhetoric from the left and those on 360 00:22:14,359 --> 00:22:16,159 Speaker 1: the right that say we should never have done this 361 00:22:16,240 --> 00:22:22,160 Speaker 1: in the first place. Quote, since the Obamacare passage, any 362 00:22:22,280 --> 00:22:26,200 Speaker 1: conversation about anything on healthcare has been a big lift. 363 00:22:26,920 --> 00:22:31,240 Speaker 1: That is what Senator James Langfort, a Republican from Oklahoma, said, saying, quote, 364 00:22:31,240 --> 00:22:35,600 Speaker 1: everybody sees the problems, and at times my Democratic colleagues 365 00:22:35,640 --> 00:22:39,240 Speaker 1: will admit, okay, yeah, that's a problem, but trying to 366 00:22:39,320 --> 00:22:42,280 Speaker 1: vote on it has been tougher. So no matter what 367 00:22:42,520 --> 00:22:46,320 Speaker 1: we do tweaking this thing, it's going to be hard. Now. 368 00:22:46,320 --> 00:22:50,840 Speaker 1: The Senate voted on two competing healthcare proposals on December 369 00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:56,320 Speaker 1: the eleventh. Both failed for Republicans even crossed the aisle 370 00:22:56,320 --> 00:22:58,600 Speaker 1: to vote in favor of a Democratic buil to extend 371 00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:02,800 Speaker 1: the subseas for three years, and centers on both sides 372 00:23:02,800 --> 00:23:04,840 Speaker 1: of the aisle have spent the days since trying to 373 00:23:04,880 --> 00:23:08,880 Speaker 1: pick up the pieces and find a new deal. Now 374 00:23:08,920 --> 00:23:13,160 Speaker 1: there is a group now of nearly two dozen members 375 00:23:13,760 --> 00:23:18,760 Speaker 1: occupying various political lanes across each party, that is convened 376 00:23:19,359 --> 00:23:21,840 Speaker 1: with an eye towards, as they describe it, unveiling a 377 00:23:21,880 --> 00:23:25,199 Speaker 1: possible deal, with some even indicating that hopes of a 378 00:23:25,320 --> 00:23:27,680 Speaker 1: framework agreement could come by the end of the holiday 379 00:23:27,720 --> 00:23:31,680 Speaker 1: work period and could be in theory past next month. 380 00:23:32,640 --> 00:23:36,320 Speaker 1: Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine, and then he would 381 00:23:36,320 --> 00:23:39,879 Speaker 1: say a Republican in name only, and Bernie Marino, a 382 00:23:39,920 --> 00:23:44,520 Speaker 1: Republican from Ohio. We're among the organizers of the big meeting. Now. 383 00:23:44,600 --> 00:23:48,520 Speaker 1: Their bill is calling for just a two year extension 384 00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:53,520 Speaker 1: of the Obamacare subsidies paired with conservative leaning reforms served 385 00:23:53,560 --> 00:23:56,119 Speaker 1: as the basis of the discussion to get rid of 386 00:23:56,160 --> 00:23:58,560 Speaker 1: some of the waste, fraud, and abuse that Democrats do 387 00:23:58,640 --> 00:24:01,920 Speaker 1: not want to touch. Why because when there is fraud 388 00:24:01,920 --> 00:24:04,199 Speaker 1: in the healthcare industry, it goes directly to the bottom 389 00:24:04,240 --> 00:24:08,080 Speaker 1: line of the healthcare providers who are their biggest donors 390 00:24:08,920 --> 00:24:13,280 Speaker 1: of the candidates and the Democratic Party running in these midterms. Now, 391 00:24:13,359 --> 00:24:17,399 Speaker 1: on Wednesday, and this went very much unreported, there was 392 00:24:17,440 --> 00:24:21,159 Speaker 1: actually a group of House GOP Centrists, so they're not 393 00:24:21,280 --> 00:24:25,600 Speaker 1: really hardcore conservative, they're not MAGA Conservatives who bucked their 394 00:24:25,720 --> 00:24:29,680 Speaker 1: leadership of the Speaker Mike Johnson by signing into a 395 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:33,879 Speaker 1: Democratic effort to force a vote on extending the subsidies. 396 00:24:34,480 --> 00:24:36,440 Speaker 1: Also met with a group of Centaters to try to 397 00:24:36,480 --> 00:24:39,119 Speaker 1: chart a path to a deal that could pass in 398 00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:42,240 Speaker 1: both chambers, because that's part of the problem. If you 399 00:24:42,320 --> 00:24:44,000 Speaker 1: get it down the Senate, you still have to get 400 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:46,879 Speaker 1: it done in the House. Now, Democrats in the Senate 401 00:24:46,960 --> 00:24:50,960 Speaker 1: have also shied away from trying from tying, i should 402 00:24:50,960 --> 00:24:55,320 Speaker 1: say the healthcare battle to the looming government funding deadline 403 00:24:55,359 --> 00:24:59,480 Speaker 1: at the end of January, giving talks a major boost. Now, 404 00:24:59,520 --> 00:25:03,320 Speaker 1: the Senate adjourned without reaching a healthcare framework for Christmas. 405 00:25:04,280 --> 00:25:09,480 Speaker 1: That is problematic. Democrats present the first they described it 406 00:25:09,600 --> 00:25:13,720 Speaker 1: bipartisan meeting last week. They knew that people were leaving town, 407 00:25:13,960 --> 00:25:16,879 Speaker 1: so it was pretty much meaningless and it was a 408 00:25:17,080 --> 00:25:20,239 Speaker 1: political stunt. And they said they were initially encouraged as 409 00:25:20,280 --> 00:25:24,200 Speaker 1: they described it by the discussions, but they indicated that 410 00:25:24,440 --> 00:25:30,480 Speaker 1: complications made striking a deal increasingly quote problematic. Quote. There 411 00:25:30,560 --> 00:25:33,200 Speaker 1: was a simple concept on the table when we walked in. 412 00:25:34,040 --> 00:25:36,560 Speaker 1: It was within the range of reason, but then it 413 00:25:36,640 --> 00:25:41,080 Speaker 1: got more complicated. There was conceptionally might be well okay, 414 00:25:41,200 --> 00:25:44,520 Speaker 1: but maybe or might not. That's how Senator Tim Caine, 415 00:25:44,840 --> 00:25:47,439 Speaker 1: the Democrat from Virginia, said, labeling the meeting a quote 416 00:25:47,520 --> 00:25:52,119 Speaker 1: productive discussion. He also said there was quote complicators in 417 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:57,120 Speaker 1: the room now. Attendees said that they expected future meetings, 418 00:25:57,520 --> 00:25:59,800 Speaker 1: but whether they continued to push the ball up the 419 00:26:00,359 --> 00:26:03,840 Speaker 1: and keep talking during the two week holiday break remains 420 00:26:04,040 --> 00:26:09,240 Speaker 1: an open question. Both sides also have political considerations that 421 00:26:09,280 --> 00:26:13,159 Speaker 1: could scuttle discussions at any time. And then you've got 422 00:26:13,280 --> 00:26:16,600 Speaker 1: numerous Republicans that have signaled that they have little to 423 00:26:16,720 --> 00:26:19,119 Speaker 1: no appetite to vote for any type of extension of 424 00:26:19,160 --> 00:26:23,280 Speaker 1: the enhanced subsidies, no matter the reforms that could make 425 00:26:23,359 --> 00:26:27,000 Speaker 1: the package more palatable. Why it's a campaign issue, There's 426 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:30,680 Speaker 1: a lot to think Obamacare is well a total lie, 427 00:26:31,160 --> 00:26:33,720 Speaker 1: and it's filled with fraud, and they're not going to 428 00:26:33,840 --> 00:26:37,800 Speaker 1: keep paying for that level of fraud. They have also 429 00:26:37,920 --> 00:26:42,639 Speaker 1: indicated that language concerning the High Amendment, which bars federal 430 00:26:42,680 --> 00:26:46,600 Speaker 1: funds from going towards abortion and any healthcare package, also 431 00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:52,399 Speaker 1: remains a major sticking point. Democrats are also quick to 432 00:26:52,480 --> 00:26:56,719 Speaker 1: note that Republicans have, as they described it, continuously opposed 433 00:26:56,800 --> 00:26:59,239 Speaker 1: the Affordable Care Act. Well, it's not affordable. That's one 434 00:26:59,320 --> 00:27:02,920 Speaker 1: reason to oppose it. And the Minority Party has indicated 435 00:27:02,960 --> 00:27:06,000 Speaker 1: they plan to pen the blame because this is really 436 00:27:06,040 --> 00:27:09,560 Speaker 1: all about politics, not about helping you on the GOP. 437 00:27:09,800 --> 00:27:12,120 Speaker 1: For the premium hikes that millions of Americans are set 438 00:27:12,160 --> 00:27:15,040 Speaker 1: to experience in the lead up to the midterms. Now, 439 00:27:15,119 --> 00:27:18,080 Speaker 1: let me be clear, if you have a massive hike 440 00:27:18,119 --> 00:27:21,560 Speaker 1: in the premiums going into the midterms, it will be 441 00:27:21,680 --> 00:27:28,200 Speaker 1: blamed on the Republicans because people don't pay attention. We 442 00:27:28,320 --> 00:27:30,920 Speaker 1: have a lot of idiots in this country that just 443 00:27:31,160 --> 00:27:35,200 Speaker 1: love free stuff. They don't realize how much that free 444 00:27:35,280 --> 00:27:39,840 Speaker 1: stuff costs, because nothing is free in healthcare. So here 445 00:27:39,960 --> 00:27:44,280 Speaker 1: we are at a crossroads what Republicans do, and the 446 00:27:44,320 --> 00:27:46,280 Speaker 1: President United States of America has got to figure out 447 00:27:46,280 --> 00:27:50,639 Speaker 1: a way to bring them all together. Operation Overlord the 448 00:27:50,720 --> 00:27:54,080 Speaker 1: d DA Beaches. You and I share a passion for history, 449 00:27:54,200 --> 00:27:56,760 Speaker 1: so I hope you'll join me next spring on the 450 00:27:56,960 --> 00:28:00,399 Speaker 1: D Day Beaches in Normandy. That's right, the invasion that 451 00:28:00,560 --> 00:28:04,119 Speaker 1: sealed Hitler's doom. Oh Maha and Utah. You're gonna discover 452 00:28:04,280 --> 00:28:07,560 Speaker 1: the sacred patch of sand with me ten days in Europe, 453 00:28:07,640 --> 00:28:12,280 Speaker 1: luxury hotels and fully escorted by America's leading expert on 454 00:28:12,480 --> 00:28:16,040 Speaker 1: France and the D Day Invasion. Can chase fifty seven 455 00:28:16,240 --> 00:28:19,840 Speaker 1: fifty seven and that includes your airfare. You're gonna stand 456 00:28:19,920 --> 00:28:24,320 Speaker 1: at General Patten's gravesite by Stone Point Duhal and Mulberry Harbor. 457 00:28:24,480 --> 00:28:27,639 Speaker 1: Call my friends at Conservative Tours on your cell phone. 458 00:28:27,840 --> 00:28:32,640 Speaker 1: Just dial pound two fifty and say the keyword Conservative Tours, 459 00:28:32,960 --> 00:28:36,560 Speaker 1: or go to Conservativetours dot com an A plus rating 460 00:28:36,640 --> 00:28:39,320 Speaker 1: with the BBB all your sight seeing in Paris. To 461 00:28:39,720 --> 00:28:43,680 Speaker 1: dial pound two fifty say the keyword Conservative Tours. You'll 462 00:28:43,760 --> 00:28:47,160 Speaker 1: have the option to receive a one time auto dialed 463 00:28:47,240 --> 00:28:50,560 Speaker 1: text message from my Heart Media. Now, before we get 464 00:28:50,640 --> 00:28:55,200 Speaker 1: to the end of the story here with Donald Trump 465 00:28:55,280 --> 00:28:57,720 Speaker 1: and what he has to figure out and really overcome, 466 00:28:58,480 --> 00:29:00,640 Speaker 1: I also think there's another ass aspect of this that 467 00:29:00,840 --> 00:29:03,840 Speaker 1: you need to understand, and that is this part how 468 00:29:03,960 --> 00:29:08,080 Speaker 1: broken it actually is. And this is why There are 469 00:29:08,160 --> 00:29:11,880 Speaker 1: Republicans that do not want to just in essence, auto 470 00:29:12,040 --> 00:29:16,680 Speaker 1: renew this thing, because the argument is, why would we 471 00:29:17,040 --> 00:29:24,240 Speaker 1: reward waste, massive fraud and your tax dollar is going 472 00:29:24,320 --> 00:29:28,640 Speaker 1: to insurance companies that are literally, as I would describe it, 473 00:29:29,040 --> 00:29:32,040 Speaker 1: stealing from you. Let me give you some data that 474 00:29:32,160 --> 00:29:34,240 Speaker 1: you're not going to hear anywhere else, and you should 475 00:29:34,360 --> 00:29:36,440 Speaker 1: know this data. But you should also take this data 476 00:29:36,520 --> 00:29:38,720 Speaker 1: and take the podcast and share it so other people 477 00:29:38,800 --> 00:29:42,880 Speaker 1: hear this. Not only is Obamacare or the I'm going 478 00:29:42,920 --> 00:29:45,160 Speaker 1: to probably call it more the Affordable Care Act, because 479 00:29:45,280 --> 00:29:47,480 Speaker 1: it's so insane that that's what they actually called it, 480 00:29:47,560 --> 00:29:52,680 Speaker 1: the Affordable Care Like it's just lunacy. It is heavily subsidized. 481 00:29:53,800 --> 00:29:56,080 Speaker 1: This thing is being propped up by your tax dollars 482 00:29:56,120 --> 00:29:57,880 Speaker 1: at numbers you can't even get your head around. Now, 483 00:29:57,920 --> 00:30:00,400 Speaker 1: Donald Trump wants the money to go directly to you, 484 00:30:01,280 --> 00:30:03,520 Speaker 1: so that then you can spend the money on healthcare 485 00:30:03,600 --> 00:30:05,520 Speaker 1: the way that you believe it should be done, so 486 00:30:05,600 --> 00:30:10,200 Speaker 1: that these insurance companies don't keep screwing us through all 487 00:30:10,320 --> 00:30:12,440 Speaker 1: the fraud and the fake accounts and the payments that 488 00:30:12,480 --> 00:30:16,920 Speaker 1: are going right, That's that's the number one thing, all right, 489 00:30:17,720 --> 00:30:20,240 Speaker 1: so let me give you some data here. Twenty four 490 00:30:20,280 --> 00:30:24,880 Speaker 1: point three million people selected right or were auto re 491 00:30:25,120 --> 00:30:30,040 Speaker 1: enrolled in the marketplace coverage in twenty twenty five. Now 492 00:30:30,200 --> 00:30:33,960 Speaker 1: a big driver in the Advanced Premium Tax Credit known 493 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:38,040 Speaker 1: as the APTC. The report notes that twelve point eight 494 00:30:38,120 --> 00:30:44,040 Speaker 1: million or more receive that subsidy in twenty twenty five 495 00:30:44,920 --> 00:30:49,280 Speaker 1: compared to twenty twenty. People are asking the question where 496 00:30:49,320 --> 00:30:52,800 Speaker 1: do these twelve point eight million people come from? Now? 497 00:30:52,880 --> 00:30:56,440 Speaker 1: These enhanced subsidies are a massive budget item, all right, 498 00:30:56,560 --> 00:31:01,480 Speaker 1: and their expiration is a cliff. The enant's Premium tax credit. 499 00:31:02,640 --> 00:31:06,600 Speaker 1: It was expanded under COVID, right, it's no longer around. 500 00:31:06,680 --> 00:31:09,080 Speaker 1: COVID's not around like it was. It was all done 501 00:31:09,160 --> 00:31:12,160 Speaker 1: during the COVID era legislation, and it was extended and 502 00:31:12,240 --> 00:31:14,840 Speaker 1: they're scheduled to run out. They will expire at the 503 00:31:14,960 --> 00:31:17,040 Speaker 1: end of this year. That's why there is this like 504 00:31:17,120 --> 00:31:20,960 Speaker 1: the house is on fire moment. One major budget estimate, 505 00:31:21,040 --> 00:31:24,880 Speaker 1: by the way, says that permanently extending the enhanced substis 506 00:31:25,040 --> 00:31:27,720 Speaker 1: for COVID, which we don't have anymore. That's how broken 507 00:31:27,760 --> 00:31:30,560 Speaker 1: the Affordable CARECT. They need subeties for COVID even though 508 00:31:30,600 --> 00:31:33,400 Speaker 1: we're not dealing with COVID all right, could cost up 509 00:31:33,440 --> 00:31:37,840 Speaker 1: to three hundred and fifty billion dollars through twenty thirty five. 510 00:31:38,160 --> 00:31:42,239 Speaker 1: That is insanity. And the analysts also note that well 511 00:31:42,280 --> 00:31:46,400 Speaker 1: over fifty billion of that cost flow two households above 512 00:31:47,160 --> 00:31:50,720 Speaker 1: five x the poverty level. Let me give you example. 513 00:31:51,480 --> 00:31:53,560 Speaker 1: Some of these substees are going to families that make 514 00:31:53,560 --> 00:31:55,160 Speaker 1: one hundred and sixty thousand dollars a year for a 515 00:31:55,200 --> 00:31:59,160 Speaker 1: family of four this year. Is that where we're and 516 00:31:59,240 --> 00:32:01,320 Speaker 1: this is how you get closer and closer to just 517 00:32:01,400 --> 00:32:05,840 Speaker 1: straight up socialized medicine. You subsidize people at one hundred 518 00:32:05,840 --> 00:32:08,680 Speaker 1: and sixty k with a family of four. They then 519 00:32:08,760 --> 00:32:10,720 Speaker 1: learn to just rely on it, depend on it. They 520 00:32:10,880 --> 00:32:12,160 Speaker 1: vote on it because they don't want to pay for 521 00:32:12,160 --> 00:32:14,720 Speaker 1: their healthcare because it's going through the taxes. And then 522 00:32:14,760 --> 00:32:17,239 Speaker 1: you have this big grand divide and you get very 523 00:32:17,360 --> 00:32:20,680 Speaker 1: close to what I just described, which is socialized medicine. 524 00:32:21,000 --> 00:32:23,200 Speaker 1: And we're on the verge of that just being the reality, 525 00:32:23,240 --> 00:32:27,160 Speaker 1: which was the whole design of Obamacare. That's part of 526 00:32:27,200 --> 00:32:29,600 Speaker 1: what you really need to understand, Like this was all 527 00:32:30,160 --> 00:32:34,880 Speaker 1: a part of the design. It was designed to fail 528 00:32:35,640 --> 00:32:39,160 Speaker 1: so that the government would just take over the entire system. Now, 529 00:32:39,240 --> 00:32:44,440 Speaker 1: without the enhanced subsidies, the affordability math worsens really fast. Okay, 530 00:32:45,800 --> 00:32:49,920 Speaker 1: twenty twenty six premiums modeling finds that the marketplace premium 531 00:32:50,080 --> 00:32:54,480 Speaker 1: payments would rise by one hundred and fourteen percent on average, 532 00:32:54,640 --> 00:32:57,520 Speaker 1: meaning that fifty percent are above that level if the 533 00:32:57,640 --> 00:33:01,520 Speaker 1: credits expire. That's about one thousand, sixteen dollars a year. 534 00:33:02,680 --> 00:33:06,680 Speaker 1: So the Congressional Budget Office says, look, the expiration not 535 00:33:06,800 --> 00:33:10,280 Speaker 1: only would reduce substas in the enrollment, but it would 536 00:33:10,360 --> 00:33:13,280 Speaker 1: raise the uninsured rate, which then would be blamed they 537 00:33:13,320 --> 00:33:15,840 Speaker 1: believe on Donald Trump. That's why Democrats are willing to 538 00:33:15,880 --> 00:33:19,800 Speaker 1: play this game of Russian roulette. They also said that 539 00:33:20,080 --> 00:33:22,440 Speaker 1: not only would that happen, but literally millions could lose 540 00:33:22,520 --> 00:33:26,600 Speaker 1: coverage because if Congress says nothing, then the money dries up, 541 00:33:26,760 --> 00:33:28,480 Speaker 1: and then they're like, why I can't afford it? And 542 00:33:28,560 --> 00:33:30,840 Speaker 1: then the rates have gone through the roof because the 543 00:33:30,960 --> 00:33:37,000 Speaker 1: rates that the insurance companies are charging have skyrocketed since 544 00:33:37,040 --> 00:33:39,080 Speaker 1: the subseas came in, because they're like, well, we need 545 00:33:39,160 --> 00:33:41,800 Speaker 1: to get our hands on more of this money. So 546 00:33:42,040 --> 00:33:46,840 Speaker 1: now you're actually paying a rate that is egregious, that 547 00:33:47,320 --> 00:33:52,760 Speaker 1: is unrealistic for the marketplace without the government subsidies. You 548 00:33:52,880 --> 00:33:56,600 Speaker 1: following me here, the insurance company said, hey, we can 549 00:33:56,640 --> 00:33:59,959 Speaker 1: grab billions of dollars. Let's keep raising the rates every year. 550 00:34:00,800 --> 00:34:05,200 Speaker 1: The government will pay the rate increase guaranteed. We'll also 551 00:34:05,320 --> 00:34:07,360 Speaker 1: have a bunch of dead people that are enrolling and 552 00:34:07,440 --> 00:34:09,480 Speaker 1: people that have died that are still being enrolled in 553 00:34:09,560 --> 00:34:12,279 Speaker 1: a bunch of fraudulent enrollment. That's all a fact. We 554 00:34:12,440 --> 00:34:15,319 Speaker 1: know that as well. We are getting paid for people 555 00:34:15,360 --> 00:34:18,319 Speaker 1: that never use their insurance. We're getting paid for people 556 00:34:18,360 --> 00:34:21,600 Speaker 1: that don't even know they're actually enrolled in Obamacare, and 557 00:34:21,760 --> 00:34:24,120 Speaker 1: so they never come into the hospital. And we get 558 00:34:24,239 --> 00:34:28,120 Speaker 1: all that money without having to offer any coverage or 559 00:34:28,239 --> 00:34:35,560 Speaker 1: actual service. And now you understand exactly why Democrats want 560 00:34:35,640 --> 00:34:39,359 Speaker 1: this to keep going, because the insurance companies have basically said, 561 00:34:39,400 --> 00:34:42,239 Speaker 1: we have a blank check for you. We will write 562 00:34:42,280 --> 00:34:44,239 Speaker 1: you a check for you to get elected and get 563 00:34:44,360 --> 00:34:47,680 Speaker 1: re elected, and we will write it for you forever 564 00:34:47,880 --> 00:34:51,080 Speaker 1: as long as you let us keep getting the billions 565 00:34:51,120 --> 00:34:55,279 Speaker 1: of dollars in government aid. These insurance companies are not 566 00:34:55,400 --> 00:34:58,080 Speaker 1: running a business anymore. I want to be clear about that. 567 00:34:59,120 --> 00:35:06,080 Speaker 1: They're running a full blown, shady as hell, corrupt business 568 00:35:07,400 --> 00:35:11,320 Speaker 1: with a government check that keeps showing up. It's bribery. 569 00:35:12,120 --> 00:35:14,440 Speaker 1: That's the best way I can describe it is it 570 00:35:14,560 --> 00:35:19,439 Speaker 1: is bribery. Let me give you another example. The programs 571 00:35:19,560 --> 00:35:25,040 Speaker 1: quote integrity and fraud vulnerabilities have been documented now for 572 00:35:25,120 --> 00:35:28,040 Speaker 1: the first time. How bad is it? I'm going to 573 00:35:28,200 --> 00:35:33,640 Speaker 1: quote for you the Liberal Washington Post. Okay, are you ready? 574 00:35:34,440 --> 00:35:41,320 Speaker 1: This is the I'll say it again, the Liberal Washington Post. 575 00:35:42,120 --> 00:35:45,600 Speaker 1: The Washington Post reported at broker scheme has now been 576 00:35:45,680 --> 00:35:48,160 Speaker 1: tied to at least one hundred and eighty million and 577 00:35:48,280 --> 00:35:53,080 Speaker 1: in proper federal subsidies, alongside findings including a GOA test 578 00:35:53,600 --> 00:35:56,520 Speaker 1: showing weak verification controls in many cases. Now, this is 579 00:35:56,640 --> 00:35:59,080 Speaker 1: just full blown fraud. How many people have gone to 580 00:35:59,160 --> 00:36:01,399 Speaker 1: jail so far that we know of? I don't think any. 581 00:36:02,160 --> 00:36:04,440 Speaker 1: Usually when we find this level of fraud, what usually 582 00:36:04,520 --> 00:36:08,759 Speaker 1: happens we don't get any Okay, body that actually goes 583 00:36:08,800 --> 00:36:11,240 Speaker 1: to jail. This reminds me a lot of the housing 584 00:36:11,320 --> 00:36:13,319 Speaker 1: crisis and the fraud that we found out was going 585 00:36:13,400 --> 00:36:17,880 Speaker 1: on in the housing market, in the loan market, and 586 00:36:18,080 --> 00:36:20,120 Speaker 1: what happened when there was the big crash in eight 587 00:36:20,719 --> 00:36:25,080 Speaker 1: One guy went to jail because all of these bankers 588 00:36:25,840 --> 00:36:29,040 Speaker 1: and all of these mortgage lenders that were in on 589 00:36:29,160 --> 00:36:36,200 Speaker 1: this scheme. This just massive level of corruption, of waste, fraud, 590 00:36:36,360 --> 00:36:39,560 Speaker 1: and abuse all got away with it. So is there 591 00:36:39,600 --> 00:36:44,680 Speaker 1: any incentive to not do it again? No, there is 592 00:36:45,960 --> 00:36:51,719 Speaker 1: zero incentive to not do it again. This is what 593 00:36:51,920 --> 00:36:54,520 Speaker 1: President Trump is having to deal with. And the question 594 00:36:54,640 --> 00:36:56,040 Speaker 1: that he's going to have to ask is how much 595 00:36:56,120 --> 00:37:01,080 Speaker 1: money should go to subsidize this. Right, there's two big 596 00:37:01,200 --> 00:37:04,080 Speaker 1: buckets that are at the center of this subsy debate, right, 597 00:37:04,440 --> 00:37:07,640 Speaker 1: the premium tax credits, the monthly subsidies, that's the main 598 00:37:07,719 --> 00:37:12,279 Speaker 1: affordability engine for the marketplace premiums, which if skyrocketed. And 599 00:37:12,400 --> 00:37:16,240 Speaker 1: then the enhancement stub subsy expansion, the temporary larger credits 600 00:37:16,280 --> 00:37:18,440 Speaker 1: that were done in the name of COVID that is 601 00:37:18,800 --> 00:37:21,319 Speaker 1: three hundred and fifty billion we're talking about right now 602 00:37:21,400 --> 00:37:24,120 Speaker 1: through twenty thirty five. I'm going to say it again, 603 00:37:24,280 --> 00:37:27,640 Speaker 1: we can't afford this. We can't afford any of it. 604 00:37:28,400 --> 00:37:33,560 Speaker 1: So how do you pull back? Okay, how do you 605 00:37:33,760 --> 00:37:37,759 Speaker 1: pull back on this? That's the question that everybody needs 606 00:37:37,800 --> 00:37:40,720 Speaker 1: to ask, And how do you do it without losing 607 00:37:40,800 --> 00:37:46,640 Speaker 1: a midterm election is the bigger question on this don't forget. 608 00:37:46,760 --> 00:37:48,840 Speaker 1: Share this podcast wherever you can with your family and 609 00:37:48,880 --> 00:37:50,720 Speaker 1: your friends, and I'll see you back here tomorrow.