WASHINGTON, D.C. July 30 (DPI) – In what amounted to an invitation for reader sarcasm, The New York Times reported today that congressional aides are panicked about the possible loss of paid health benefits under the new health-care law.

Apparently the sweeping legislation known formally as the Affordable Care Act, also called Obamacare,  hasn’t made provisions for members of Congress and their hundreds of legislative aides, who are reported to be “freaked out” by the prospect of having to pay for their own health care coverage. Cost ranges from $5,000 per year to $11,000 per year, according to the report, by veteran reporter Robert Pear.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/30/us/politics/wrinkle-in-health-law-vexes-lawmakers-aides.html

Readers, of course, howled with sarcasm over the notion that workers on Capitol Hill had to deal with a real-life issue, and hundreds of comments hit the site within hours.

Most recommended by readers, in order:

1) Members of Congress have to purchase healthcare and abide by the same laws as their constituents? How did they let that happen?

2) I’m fairly certain that the best thing we could do for Health Care in this country is to pass a law providing that no Federally-elected officials shall receive health care benefits that are better than the *MEDIAN* benefits provided to the American people as a whole. I believe this would rapidly elevate the thinking of our elected officials.

3) It simply breaks my heart when Congress has to deal with real-life issues.

4) What irony.
After complaints for years about Congress having its own benefit plans, now that they are forced into joining the rest of us, the whining begins.
The Tea Party should be jumping for joy, since many aides have said they will quit these government jobs. If there is any part of government which has become bloated over the years it’s Congress. Since they haven’t done much since the Party of No took over, slicing their staffs is appropriate.

5) So, members of Congress and their aides will have to follow the same regulations as the rest of us. Good. If they somehow “fix” the situation that enables them to get special privilege , that will bring the new revolution just that much sooner. They’ve been acting like Marie Antoinette for a long time.
The answer? Medicare for ALL!

6) If fewer representatives decide not to run because they now have to pay their fair share of their benefits cost, the new law will be a success on that merit alone!

Next up, government pensions get converted to 401K plans – like the rest of us private sector suckers, uhmmm, I mean employees.

7) Delicious. Welcome to our world Congress.