A Letter by Bill McMaster to Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan

 

Dear Mr. Loepp:

As a Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan policyholder, I personally received Notice from you in November 2013 at my 2700 Robindale, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302 residence stating my BC/BS monthly statement beginning January 1, 2014 would“include State and Federal Taxes” inherent in the Affordable Health Care Act; Gov. Rick Snyder’s Medicaid Expansion, and Medicare Prescription Drug coverage for Seniors.

Americans for Tax Reform in Washington, DC published a report last summer asserting there are at least 20 different Federal Taxes entwined in Obamacare. A Michigan State Senator confirmed there are at least nine new or expanded State Taxes/Fees in the package.

Since BC/BS had/has a monopoly around 64% of the Michigan Health Care Insurance coverage, I was advised to address my request for a factual “List of Federal Taxes & Fees” and a “Separate List of the State of Michigan Taxes & Fees which BC/BS announced it would begin collecting from policyholders every month after January 1, 2014.

I was further advised by Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan to address my email to your News Room address. I did so five times between November 2013 and January 2014 without receiving any response whatsoever.

Earlier this month, I caught the TV and Radio ads being aired by BC/BS featuring WJR’s Paul W. Smith and Magic Johnson touting the available “Government Subsidies” for Michiganians who might not be able to pay BC/BS’s full price for Obamacare policy coverage. Your ads encourage prospective customers to call BC/BS to find out how much Government Subsidy they might qualify for, and adding they can deal with BC/BS directly without having to go through the State of Michigan or Federal agency (“Ambassador”).

Such marketing of a pig in a poke is contrary to President Obama’s promise that Obamacare will cut health care coverage for families by $2,500 a year.

Since you have so adamantly refused to disclose our simple request about what we are paying BC/BS for, we have become aware and very concerned about the series of secret policy and tax/fee changes dictated by the White House to Michigan Health Insurance Exchanges, usually late at night. And if our information is correct, we’re appalled BC/BS is submissive to President Obama’s intimidation of consequential punishment for Insurance Exchange executives and State Governments who might feel a duty to avoid partnering with his conspiracy to defraud Obamacare policyholders.

We are further surprised and disappointed BC/BS’s massive and expensive lobbying effort in our State Capitol intentionally violates our 1978 Headlee Tax Limitation Amendment permanently amended into our Michigan Constitution by the majority of statewide grassroots voters. You’re secretly imposing new taxes without first complying with our Constitutional Right to vote Yes or No as mandated by our Michigan Constitution, Article 9, Sections 6 and 25 through 34.

Now Mr. Loepp, this BC/BS Policyholder again requests a LIST OF THE FEDERAL TAXES & FEES, and a SEPARATE LIST OF THE MICHIGAN TAXES & FEES, that BC/BS stated would be collected on monthly BC/BS billings after January 1, 2014.

Sincerely,

Bill McMaster

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Taxpayers United Michigan Foundation was founded in 1976 by Dick Headlee (deceased 2004) and Bill McMaster to successfully win statewide voter approval of the 1978 Headlee Tax Limitation Amendment. It has evolved into a tax deductible 501(c)(3) under the IRS code as a nonpartisan, nonprofit educational foundation helping educate grassroots taxpayers how to defend and control their Constitutional Rights despite exploitation by unethical public officials and units of government.