Friday, February 14, 2014

Be LIBRE Alert

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Health Care Campaign Presses Latinos to Pay for Troubled System 
(Washington, D.C.) - It is becoming clear that enrollment under the new health care law will fall far below initial projections. The New York Times is among those who report that the "enrollment" numbers provided by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) count many people who have not paid, and therefore may never purchase insurance. Youth enrollment is still low, accounting for only 25% of those selecting plans, and while HHS has provided no figures on Hispanic enrollment, reports from state run marketplaces do not look favorableWithout robust enrollment with a mix of healthier consumers, insurance companies will lose money and may seek federal bailouts, or drop out of the system altogether. As this troubling picture becomes clear, and with only a few weeks before the close of enrollment, the White House is ramping up its outreach to Latinos, a key group targeted by the Administration to sustain the Obamacare system. 
Daniel Garza, Executive Director of The LIBRE Initiative released the following statement: 
"Hispanics shouldn't be taken in by this latest hard sell, but should instead choose carefully the best option for themselves and their families. Many Hispanics are rejecting this system because it is too expensive and it just doesn't work for them. For months there was no online Spanish-language enrollment, and the system still has problems. And while the President has exempted businesses from the mandate, millions of Americans who cannot afford the plans provided in the marketplace will face tax penalties. People aren't being offered an array of good options; they're being mandated to comply with a system that fails to adequately address their needs. 
The fact is enrollments are lagging badly, and supporters of this law need far more young and healthy people to pay extra to prop up a system that offers them little benefit. Many of the young Latinos who are the target of these campaigns will pay more in premiums than they use in services - but the Internal Revenue Service will punish them for not buying. 
Rather than taking advantage of the Latino community, supporters of the law should explain why under Obamacare Hispanics now face higher costs, higher deductibles, narrow provider networks, a shortage of Spanish-speaking doctors, and - for many - cancellation of policies they liked. That is not what supporters of the law promised." 
Learn more about "The Accountability Project" campaign and LIBRE's efforts to keep elected officials accountable for supporting the flawed Obamacare law that is causing families everywhere to lose their current health care plan and lose their full time jobs. They are elected to make the right decisions for the people - let's keep them accountable.

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The LIBRE Initiative is a non-partisan, non-profit, national grassroots organization dedicated to informing the U.S. Hispanic community about the benefits of a constitutionally limited government, property rights, rule of law, sound money supply and free enterprise through a variety of community events, research and policy initiatives. Latinos have been disproportionately hurt by the economic downturn suffering from higher levels of unemployment and poverty. Our aim is to equip the Hispanic community with the tools they need to be prosperous. Connect with us on Facebook at The LIBRE Initiative and @LIBREInitiative on Twitter. Visit: www.thelibreinitiative.com

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