Fox News (5/15) reports on its website that the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations “has launched an inquiry into the system that’s supposed to ensure ObamaCare tax credits go to the right customers for the right amounts – amid concerns that many Americans are getting inflated or improper subsidies.” Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), who is leading the probe, said in a statement: “I’m concerned that the subsidy eligibility process is so complicated that many consumers believed they were receiving cheaper insurance coverage than they ultimately got.” Portman announced the panel’s investigation in a letter sent Thursday to HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell.
The Hill (5/15, Ferris) reports that Portman “is demanding proof the Obama administration has been thoroughly checking a person’s income level and legal status before handing out subsidies.” The Ohio Republican stated, “The Administration assured Congress that the eligibility verification process for the exchanges was working, but millions of Americans are now learning that they received overpayments that they have to repay.”
