In the White House’s latest move to save face for the health-care law known as Obamacare, President Obama himself bought an insurance plan using the DC Health Link exchange.
The purchase is entirely symbolic, though. While Obama bought a plan on the “bronze” tier that covers 60 percent of medical costs, he won’t be using it. As president, Obama’s health care is provided by the military, and in a statement, the White House says Obama will continue to be cared for by his team of military doctors.
Obama’s plan only covers him and not the rest of his family. According to DC Health Link’s cost estimator, a 52-year-old man earning $400,000 a year would pay a premium of about $400 a month for a bronze plan and would not be eligible for a subsidy.
The president, who is vacationing in Hawaii, did not make the purchase himself. And rather than use DC Health Link’s website, a White House aide visited a DC insurance office in person. Presumably, that conversation about Obamacare required the staffer to change out of his or her pajamas.
Benjamin Freed joined Washingtonian in August 2013 and covers politics, business, and media. He was previously the editor of DCist and has also written for Washington City Paper, the New York Times, the New Republic, Slate, and BuzzFeed. He lives in Adams Morgan.
Obama Signs Up for Obamacare, Though He Doesn’t Need It
President Obama will pay about $400 a month for insurance he doesn’t need just to make a point.
In the White House’s latest move to save face for the health-care law known as Obamacare, President Obama himself bought an insurance plan using the DC Health Link exchange.
The purchase is entirely symbolic, though. While Obama bought a plan on the “bronze” tier that covers 60 percent of medical costs, he won’t be using it. As president, Obama’s health care is provided by the military, and in a statement, the White House says Obama will continue to be cared for by his team of military doctors.
Obama’s plan only covers him and not the rest of his family. According to DC Health Link’s cost estimator, a 52-year-old man earning $400,000 a year would pay a premium of about $400 a month for a bronze plan and would not be eligible for a subsidy.
The president, who is vacationing in Hawaii, did not make the purchase himself. And rather than use DC Health Link’s website, a White House aide visited a DC insurance office in person. Presumably, that conversation about Obamacare required the staffer to change out of his or her pajamas.
Benjamin Freed joined Washingtonian in August 2013 and covers politics, business, and media. He was previously the editor of DCist and has also written for Washington City Paper, the New York Times, the New Republic, Slate, and BuzzFeed. He lives in Adams Morgan.
Most Popular in News & Politics
What It Felt Like for a Virginia Marching Band to Win Metallica’s Contest
Meet the 2023 Washingtonians of the Year
What’s IN and OUT in DC Restaurant Trends for 2024
Introducing 8 of DC’s Most Stylish
Washingtonian Magazine
May 2024: Great Getaways
View IssueSubscribe
Follow Us on Social
Follow Us on Social
Related
13 Major Concerts and Music Festivals in the DC Area This Spring
Mary Timony on Her Emotional New Album, “Untame the Tiger”
The Beatles in DC: A New Exhibit in Maryland Looks Back on Early Beatlemania
Northern Virginia High School Wins Metallica’s Marching Band Competition
More from News & Politics
DC Area College Students Protest Gaza War at George Washington University Encampment
Here Are the Celebrities Coming to Town for the White House Correspondents Dinner
Insomnia Cookies, Picnic Blankets: Waiting in Line for Trump’s Supreme Court Case
PHOTOS: Demonstrators Gather Outside the Supreme Court as It Hears Arguments on Emergency Abortion Case
DC’s Coolest Jobs: A Jazz Detective. Orchid Whisperer. Armageddon Stopper.
Seven Miles of Georgia Avenue Will Have a Bus-Only Lane This Summer
What We’ll Miss (or Won’t Miss) About Foxtrot
Foxtrot Is Closing Its DC-Area Stores