Obamacare Funding for Patients with Pre-existing Conditions Runs Low … Another Miscalculation of Obamacare

More promises of Obamacare ending in disappointment. Money running low for Obamacare funding for patients with pre-existing conditions. Of the original $5 billion appropriated for the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan, about $2.36 billion remains available for the last three quarters of 2013. Enough only to continue coverage for those already in the pools, according to administration estimates.  The plan was supposed to last until 2014. Just yet another miscalculation of Obamacare.

Tens of thousands of Americans who cannot get health insurance because of preexisting medical problems will be blocked from a program designed to help them because funding is running low.

Obama administration officials said Friday that the state-based “high-risk pools” set up under the 2010 health-care law will be closed to new applicants as soon as Saturday and no later than March 2, depending on the state.

But they stressed that coverage for about 100,000 people who are now enrolled in the high-risk pools will not be affected.

“We’re being very careful stewards of the money that has been appropriated to us and we wanted to balance our desire to maximize the number of people who can gain from this program while making sure people who are in the program have coverage,” said Gary Cohen, director of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight. “This was the most prudent step for us to take at this point in time.”

The program, which was launched in summer 2010, was always intended as a temporary bridge for the uninsured. But it was supposed to last until 2014. At that point, the health-care law will bar insurers from rejecting or otherwise discriminating against people who are already sick, enabling such people to buy plans through the private market.

From the start, analysts questioned whether the $5 billion that Congress appropriated for the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan — as the program is called — was sufficient.

Initial fears that as many as 375,000 sick people would swamp the pools and bankrupt them by 2012 did not pan out. This is largely because, even though the pools must charge premiums comparable to those for healthy people, the plans sold through them are often expensive.

13 Year Old Anthony Viasan Missing Since 2/15/13 in Sarasota, FL (Update: Found Safe)

13 year old Anthony Viasan has been missing since Friday, February 15, 2013. He was last seen at the Sarasota Middle School; however, it is believed he went home and left on his green Mongoose BMX bicycle, which is also missing. Deputies having  issued a “Child Is Missing” alert, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office does not suspect  foul play at this time in the boys disappearance.

Anthony Viasan, 13, was last seen at Sarasota Middle School. The sheriff’s office believes he came home from school and left on his green Mongoose BMX bicycle, which is also missing.

Viasan lives in the 7100 block of Jarvis Road in Lake Sarasota. He is a white, 5’3” tall, 125 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. The sheriff’s office says he is believed to be wearing a New York Yankees baseball hat and white Dr. Dre Beats headphones.

Sarasota County Sheriffs Office.

UPDATE I: Boy found Safe.

Jesse Jackson Jr. Intends to Plead Guilty to Federal Charges of Illegal Use of $750,000 in Campaign Funds

More Chicago style politics … Jesse Jackson Jr. plans to plead guilty to misusing campaign funds.

Former Democrat Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. (IL-D) and his wife  Sandi intend to plead guilty to federal charges of the misuse of $750,000 of campaign funds. Jackson was charged with spending about $750,000 of campaign funds on personal purchases, making false statements and wire and mail fraud.  Federal authorities allege that Jackson Jr. used campaign funds to purchase a $43,350 men’s gold-plated Rolex watch, $5,150 worth of fur capes and parkas, and $9,588 in children’s furniture.  What a stand up kind guy, the misuse of funds does not stop there. He also purchased with campaign funds $10,105 on Bruce Lee memorabilia, $11,130 on Martin Luther King memorabilia and $22,700 on Michael Jackson items, including $4,600 for a “Michael Jackson fedora. It is not like this was a one time deal of the misuse of funds, the purchases were made between 2007 and 2009. He faces up to five years in prison and $250,000 in fines. What are the odds he gets a slap on the wrist?

Jesse Jackson Jr. will be saying good bye from politics for a while with a little illegal campaign finance issue

Jesse Jackson Jr. and his wife Sandi intend to plead guilty to federal charges alleging the former congressman misused $750,000 in campaign funds while she understated their income on  tax returns for six years, their lawyers say.

Jackson Jr., 47, a Democrat from Chicago, was charged in a criminal information Friday with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, mail fraud and false statements. He faces up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and other penalties.

Sandi Jackson was charged with one count of filing false tax returns. She faces up to three years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and other penalties.

Jackson Jr. is accused of diverting $750,000 in campaign funds for personal use.

I guess this can explain why Jesse Jackson Jr. was in rehab for such a long period of time. Jackson was trying to be cured of “Misuse of Campaign Funditis”.

UPDATE I: In a statement, Jackson Jr. said: [editors note: the are sorry they got caught]

“Over the course of my life I have come to realize that none of us are immune from our share of shortcomings and human frailties. Still I offer no excuses for my conduct and I fully accept my responsibility for the improper decisions and mistakes I have made. To that end I want to offer my sincerest apologies to my family, my friends and all of my supporters for my errors in judgment and while my journey is not yet complete, it is my hope that I am remembered for the things that I did right.”

Sandi Jackson’s attorneys released a statement saying she “has accepted responsibility for her conduct, is deeply sorry for her actions, and looks forward to putting this matter behind her and her family. She is thankful for the support of her family and friends during this very difficult time.”

The Blade Runner Oscar Pistorius’ Official Statement Rejecting Murder Charge “In the Strongest Terms” Against Him for Killing Girl Friend Reeva Steenkamp

Oscar Pistorius released a statement regarding the murder charges against him. He is denying the murder charges “in the strongest terms”. Pistorius faces murder charges as the prosecutors in Johannesburg, South Africa are charging Oscar Pistorius’ with premeditated murder. So much for the accidental murder story that was speculated by the media initially after the incident was reported. Some thought that Oscar Pistorius might have mistakenly thought his girl friend was an intruder and shot her. The forensics will tell the story in this case. For the Blade Runner’s sake, he better hope that the fatal gun shot wounds to his girl friend were not from close range.

Oscar Pistorius’ arrives for court appearance hiding his face from the media.

“Oscar Pistorius has made history as an Olympic and Paralympic sportsman and has been an inspiration to others the world over.

“He has made it very clear that he would like to send his deepest sympathies to the family of Reeva. He would also like to express his thanks through us today for all the messages of support he has received — but as stated our thoughts and prayers today should be for Reeva and her family – regardless of the circumstances of this terrible, terrible tragedy.

“We will endeavour to issue other statements as matters develop but in these circumstances I am sure you appreciate it is very difficult to answer any more specific questions. Thank you very much for your attention.”

Life Imitating the Movie Armageddon … Meteor Crashing in Russia’s Ural Mountains Injures at least 500 People

Talk about Life Imitating the movies, this time the Bruce Willis action thriller ’Armageddon’ – VIDEO … A meteor came crashing down in Russia’s Ural mountains and injuring at least 500 people and spreading panic. According to the BBC, of 514 people injured in the Chelyabinsk region, 11 were being treated in hospital, the regional emergencies agency said in a statement. The UK Daily Mail is claiming that there were over 950 injured when the meteor streaking across the sky crashed at around 9.20am local time. Many amazing pics of the meteor and the damage caused by it can be seen HERE. Witnesses said that houses shuddered, buildings damaged, windows were blown out and cellphones stopped working.

A meteor crashing in Russia’s Ural mountains has injured at least 500 people, as the shockwave blew out windows and rocked buildings. Most of those hurt suffered minor cuts and bruises but some received head injuries, Russian officials report. A fireball was seen streaking through the clear morning sky above the city of Yekaterinburg, followed by loud bangs. President Vladimir Putin said he thanked God no big fragments had fallen in populated areas. A large meteor fragment landed in a lake near Chebarkul, a town in the neighbouring Chelyabinsk region. Much of the impact was felt in the city of Chelyabinsk, some 200km (125 miles) south of Yekaterinburg. “It was quite extraordinary,” Chelyabinsk resident Polina Zolotarevskaya told BBC News. “We saw a very bright light and then there was a kind of a track, white and yellow in the sky.” “The explosion was so strong that some windows in our building and in the buildings that are across the road and in the city in general, the windows broke.”

From the Voices of Russia comes the following VIDEO:

More VIDEO from CNN