Kreidler/Obama have same goals

Despite objecting to President Barack Obama’s efforts to re-open the Affordable Care Act to individuals who have had their insurance cancelled, Washington State Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler still supports the president and the insurance act.

“The president and I have the same goals,” Kreidler told members of the Thurston County League of Women Voters at its educational  fund-raising auction Saturday.   “We both want the Affordable Care Act to succeed.

“It’s doing so here in Washington state,” he added.

When the president announced he was re-opening insurance options for those who had lost their health insurance, Kreidler was one of the first state insurance commissioners to say – – no way.

“The plans we’ve approved in this state have been approved based on the plans of the Affordable Care Act,” Kredler said.   “The president just can’t issue an order changing those plans.”

The state insurance commissioner said that insurance is the product of the states.   “I think several other states will make the same decision,” he said.

Kreidler said he understood the president made the decision based on politics.   But, he didn’t think the Affordable Care Act would have a major impact on the Democrat’s efforts to retain control of the US Senate.

“The plan will look a lot better a year from now,” he said.  “That will temper the political concern in those states with Democratic senators up for re-election.”

In other action, the Thurston County League of Women Voters gave its Lifetime Citizenship Award to Jill Severn who has been active in political and social causes for decades.  Severn was instrumental in getting Camp Quixote a permanent home.

She said the new permanent camp should open just before Christmas.