Metal Sludge Gossip Board

Posted: **Fri Oct 04, 2013 7:09 am**

Gah...

"Community Health Alliance, Tennessee’s Obamacare health insurance co-op, is offering free smartphones to those who register, as long as they “pledge to stay connected for better health,” the Nashville Business Journal reported.

As part of its Community Health Connection Program, CHA is offering “eligible” individuals smart phones, including unlimited talk, unlimited texting and 1.2GB of data, as part of their health care plans, the report said.

“Members will have the phone number for their CHA representative pre-loaded in their phones and can quickly get answers to questions about their policies,” CHA Chief Operating Officer Judy Slagle said in a statement. “At the same time, we will be able to connect with our members by phone, by email or by text almost instantly with health tips and reminders.”

Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/201 ... z2glZ568E9

Posted: **Fri Oct 04, 2013 7:11 am**

Additional detail:

"Tennessee officials have put a temporary halt on a nonprofit group’s plans to provide free cellphones to new members qualifying for health insurance through the new federal health insurance exchange.

Community Health Alliance Mutual Insurance Co., a Knoxville-based health insurance cooperative in Tennessee, announced earlier this week that it would offer a free smartphone to qualifying members. Members could qualify for the phones by pledging to take certain steps to maintain their health, such as visiting a doctor within 180 days after the start of their coverage.

Word of the promotion spread quickly through news outlets and across social media this week, in which CHA’s phone incentive was dubbed as “free Obamacare phones.”

Then, on Thursday, the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance asked CHA to halt its marketing efforts regarding the phones.

CHA’s phone initiative may violate a Tennessee rebating law, said Kate Abernathy, a spokeswoman for the department. The law requires that an insurance company disclose incentive programs, such as a smartphone giveaway, in an insurance policy or certificate.

In order to move forward with this incentive, CHA will need to get further permission from the federal government, Abernathy said.

“We were made aware of the cellphone incentive program,” Abernathy said. “At that point in time, we contacted the co-op. We wanted to take a step back and see if there was a violation to that section.”

Some critics of federal health reform used the giveaway as another target for their protests.

'Absurd abuse'
“This is an absurd abuse of taxpayer money and a reminder of just how pathetic of a program ‘Obamacare’ is,” said U.S. Rep. Diane Black, R-Tenn., in a prepared statement. “If this law were everything the president touts it to be, people would sign up for the exchanges on their own merits — not to receive a smartphone. With a national debt approaching $17 trillion, how is this a justifiable use of taxpayer money?”

CHA was funded by a $73.3 million loan from the federal government. The organization is a new type of private nonprofit health insurance provider, called a consumer operated and oriented plan, that was established as part of the Affordable Care Act. The federal CO-OP program gave low-interest loans to eligible nonprofit groups to help set up and maintain these local operators across the country. CO-OPs are able to offer health plans through the federal Health Insurance Marketplace as well as outside the online exchange.

All of the local groups receiving loans were selected by the federal government, based on a competitive basis based on external independent review, officials said.

According to program guidelines, the federal government will closely monitor CO-OPs to ensure they are meeting program goals and will be able to repay loans.

For its part, CHA said it has been contacted by government officials and is working to provide additional information on the promotion. The nonprofit had pitched the phones as a way for patients to stay connected to their health care providers, and to help CHA stay connected to those customers as well.

“We have been asked to provide additional information, and we are in the process of doing that,” said Renee Randby, a spokeswoman for CHA."

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20131 ... BUSINESS05

Posted: **Fri Oct 04, 2013 10:15 am**

LMFAO, you fucking dunce. That's what you get for parroting the Washington Times. Additional detail? More like a correction to a bogus story in the Washington Times that lead idiots to believe the federal tax payers are picking up the tab for cell phones. The cell phones are merely a promotional device used by a private non-profit. The money for the cell phones comes out of the CHA's profits and they can maintain tax exempt status since the phones "improve the quality of health care delivered to its members." Notice the conditions placed on receipt of the cell phone:

To be eligible for a phone, members must pay the first month’s premium, select a primary care physician from CHA’s network, and sign an agreement pledging “to stay connected for better health” within 90 days.

You are a fucking dumb ass. The word "eligible" was in quotes in your first post to suggest it's a welfare program.

Community Health Alliance (Community Health Alliance) is a nonprofit health insurer 501 (c)(29).
http://new.chatn.org/about/

General Requirements for Exemption under 501(c)(29) and Annual Filing Requirement
http://www.irs.gov/Charities-&-Non-Prof ... ce-Issuers

In general, section 501(c) (29) applies to certain organizations receiving loans or repayable grants under the CO-OP program. An organization will qualify for exemption under section 501(c)(29) only if:

The organization has received a loan or a repayable grant under the CO-OP program and is in compliance with all requirements of the CO-OP program and any agreement with CMS;
The organization has applied for recognition of exemption;
No part of the organization’s net earnings inures to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual, except that the organization is required by section 1322(c)(4) of the Affordable Care Act to use its profits to lower premiums, improve benefits or improve the quality of health care delivered to its members;
No substantial part of the organization’s activities involves attempts to influence legislation; and
The organization does not participate or intervene in political campaigns.

Posted: **Fri Oct 04, 2013 10:51 am**

Simmer down moron. You seem very sensitive to all this. Nowhere did I say anything about any of what you are talking about. I said "gah". You may have not caught on, but I didn't write either article, nor am I handing out free phones and plans to get people to sign up for a health plan. Now that we have again established you are an idiot, I am just letting the fine people of Sludge know about this program available to them. That they can not only get healthcare but free phone service as well.

I was mainly posting that I find it hillarious (see "gah" above) that these companies are doing promotions to get folk to sign up. That is a fact and I'm not sure why you have an issue with posting that after all the nonsense that you drag out here.

Posted: **Fri Oct 04, 2013 10:54 am**

Them phones come straight from Satan's workshop!

Posted: **Fri Oct 04, 2013 12:24 pm**

Sheep_Mafia wrote:

Posted: **Fri Oct 04, 2013 12:49 pm**

Now, now Danzig-I for one am happy that you are finally going to man up and be responsible and obtain health insurance, even if the government is making you do it and I am likely paying for it for you. Did you at least get a toaster oven or satellite dish and service out of it?

Your picture does make a good point in that a bike is what they should be giving people to sign up if anything. At least there would be some legitimate potential benefit.

Jesus loves you wheresthestagemanager.

Posted: **Fri Oct 04, 2013 1:03 pm**

Sheep_Mafia wrote: Jesus loves you wheresthestagemanager.

I know. One time I caught him staring at my ass.

Posted: **Fri Oct 04, 2013 1:24 pm**

Wheresthestagemanager? wrote:
Sheep_Mafia wrote: Jesus loves you wheresthestagemanager.
I know. One time I caught him staring at my ass.

Oh I love you Jesus
But only as a friend.
You touched my heart but I hope
That's where the touchin' ends.

You're always lookin' over me
When I need a higher power.
But you better look at somethin' else
When I'm in the shower.

Posted: **Fri Oct 04, 2013 1:35 pm**

Danzig in the Dark wrote:
Wheresthestagemanager? wrote:
Sheep_Mafia wrote: Jesus loves you wheresthestagemanager.
I know. One time I caught him staring at my ass.

Oh I love you Jesus
But only as a friend.
You touched my heart but I hope
That's where the touchin' ends.

You're always lookin' over me
When I need a higher power.
But you better look at somethin' else
When I'm in the shower.

Ah, yes. Tis a fine song.....but not as fine as Carlos Stonebreed's ditty, "What A Friend We Have In Cheeses".

Posted: **Fri Oct 04, 2013 1:41 pm**

Sheep_Mafia wrote:Simmer down moron. You seem very sensitive to all this. Nowhere did I say anything about any of what you are talking about. I said "gah". You may have not caught on, but I didn't write either article, nor am I handing out free phones and plans to get people to sign up for a health plan. Now that we have again established you are an idiot, I am just letting the fine people of Sludge know about this program available to them. That they can not only get healthcare but free phone service as well.

I was mainly posting that I find it hillarious (see "gah" above) that these companies are doing promotions to get folk to sign up. That is a fact and I'm not sure why you have an issue with posting that after all the nonsense that you drag out here.

viewtopic.php?p=6137110#p6137110

Sheep_Mafia wrote:Obamacare phones?

"Community Health Alliance, Tennessee’s Obamacare health insurance co-op, is offering free smartphones to those who register, as long as they “pledge to stay connected for better health,” the Nashville Business Journal reported.

As part of its Community Health Connection Program, CHA is offering “eligible” individuals smart phones, including unlimited talk, unlimited texting and 1.2GB of data, as part of their health care plans, the report said."

Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/201 ... z2glaOZ2HB

More:
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20131 ... BUSINESS05

'Absurd abuse'
“This is an absurd abuse of taxpayer money and a reminder of just how pathetic of a program ‘Obamacare’ is,” said U.S. Rep. Diane Black, R-Tenn., in a prepared statement. “If this law were everything the president touts it to be, people would sign up for the exchanges on their own merits — not to receive a smartphone. With a national debt approaching $17 trillion, how is this a justifiable use of taxpayer money?”

CHA was funded by a $73.3 million loan from the federal government

Posted: **Fri Oct 04, 2013 2:05 pm**

Sheep_Mafia wrote:Simmer down moron. You seem very sensitive to all this. Nowhere did I say anything about any of what you are talking about. I said "gah".

Look at the title of the thread:

Obamacare Phones...

Recall the Obama phone talking point from the 2012 election.

You are implying this is a new handout for the poor.

Posted: **Fri Oct 04, 2013 9:16 pm**

i figured this plan was killed in the shutdown.

Posted: **Sat Oct 05, 2013 4:16 am**

BlackCrypt wrote:i figured this plan was killed in the shutdown.

How? It's not a government program.

Posted: **Sat Oct 05, 2013 10:17 am**

Danzig in the Dark wrote:How? It's not a government program.

It isn't? I thought Lifeline was a federal program brought on by the FCC.

Posted: **Sat Oct 05, 2013 10:50 am**

BlackCrypt wrote:
Danzig in the Dark wrote:How? It's not a government program.
It isn't? I thought Lifeline was a federal program brought on by the FCC.

You didn't read the articles? It's not the same thing, dumbass.

Posted: **Sat Oct 05, 2013 7:06 pm**

BlackCrypt wrote:
Danzig in the Dark wrote:How? It's not a government program.
It isn't? I thought Lifeline was a federal program brought on by the FCC.

Dude let me save you some further embarrassment regarding the often TeaTard/Republitard parroted rumor of "Obama phones."

The Lifeline program was created in 1984 (during Republican President Reagan's term) to insure that low income families had access to landline phone services in case of emergencies..
Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) was created as part of the 1996 Telecommunications Act to "ensure all Americans, including low-income consumers and those who live in rural, insular, high cost areas, shall have affordable service and to help to connect eligible schools, libraries, and rural health care providers to the global telecommunications network."
Not just welfare recipients can qualify for this... People on Medicaid, SSI, SNAP, Bureau of Indian affairs, and several others can receive phone assistance..

The "free cell phone" program, SafeLink, started under President George W. Bush, with Tracfones in 2008..

All it took to get the "Obama phone" rumor started was some butthurt Republican following the 2009 elections starting the rumor via email of the Obama administration starting the program and let the internet do the rest of the work..

Then all it took to get Teatards heads spinning was one ill informed rambling fat black lady at a Romney campaign rally believing Obama gave her and other people free phones, obviously oblivious to the fact the phone program had been around since 1984 and cell phones before Obama was even elcted, but the original "free phone line" act was passed under President Franklin Roosevelt, which was influenced by an agreement reached between telecommunications companies and the administration of President Woodrow Wilson...

For a more in-depth definition of the program you can read here:

http://www.factcheck.org/2009/10/the-obama-phone/
http://www.snopes.com/politics/taxes/cellphone.asp

Posted: **Sat Oct 05, 2013 8:17 pm**

Danzig in the Dark wrote: You didn't read the articles? It's not the same thing, dumbass.

I was talking about the "ObamaPhones" in general, not what Sheep was spouting on about.

Luminiferous wrote: Dude let me save you some further embarrassment regarding the often TeaTard/Republitard parroted rumor of "Obama phones."

I never said anything about the money for the Lifeline program coming from taxing people or it being an Obama program. I am very aware on the origins of it. I was just stating it was a federal program.

Posted: **Sat Oct 05, 2013 8:34 pm**

BlackCrypt was too stupid to read the article to find out who was passing out the phones and got suckered.

Posted: **Sun Oct 06, 2013 12:49 am**

Danzig in the Dark wrote:BlackCrypt was too stupid to read the article to find out who was passing out the phones and got suckered.

I admitted my initial response was not related to the Sheep rant, so how did he own me? DRJ trying to connect Mafias rant to the Obamaphone craze is why I said what I said.

DEATH ROW JOE wrote:Recall the Obama phone talking point from the 2012 election.

If you can show me where the Lifeline program is not a Federal funded endevor, I will step down.

Posted: **Sun Oct 06, 2013 8:34 am**

BlackCrypt wrote:
Danzig in the Dark wrote:BlackCrypt was too stupid to read the article to find out who was passing out the phones and got suckered.
I admitted my initial response was not related to the Sheep rant, so how did he own me? DRJ trying to connect Mafias rant to the Obamaphone craze is why I said what I said.

Oh, so you just decided to go off on "Obamaphones" and it had nothing to do with anything anyone posted?

Fucking backpedaling idiot.

Metal Sludge Gossip Board

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