For Congress, healthcare plans remain a notch above

Many lawmakers, like other Americans, are signing up for insurance through an exchange. But they're getting better customer service and benefits.

WASHINGTON — Trying to align lawmakers with the people they represent, Congress three years ago decided that when the new healthcare plan took effect, members would give up their platinum health benefits and enroll in the online marketplaces created for millions of other Americans.

In typical congressional fashion, however, things have not worked out exactly as advertised.

While many members of Congress are indeed signing up for health coverage through the District of Columbia exchange — which was designated as the provider for all members — their experiences have been significantly better than those of average consumers in several respects, including more generous benefits packages, VIP customer service from insurers and the same government-subsidized premiums they've always enjoyed.

It's a far cry from the experience of millions of other Americans, who have been frustrated by a crash-prone federal website, policy cancellations and confusion over the new program.

Some lawmakers are avoiding President Obama's healthcare law altogether by getting their health benefits elsewhere. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) qualifies for coverage as a veteran. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) gets insurance under her husband's plan.

More than a third of senators, and a quarter of House members, are 65 or older, making them eligible for Medicare.

A few Republicans have boycotted the exchanges on principle because they oppose the president's program. Others are embracing the chance to enroll — with all the potential difficulties — because doing so can give them fodder for their fight against the law.

House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio), a staunch opponent of the program, posted online about his troubles signing up with the District of Columbia exchange. "Kept at it," Boehner wrote, after documenting the various error messages he encountered during the process

On Veterans Day, from his home in Anchorage, Sen. Mark Begich of Alaska signed up for a Blue Cross plan using his own state's healthcare exchange — thus giving up the federal subsidy he would have received by signing up through the Washington marketplace.

His individual plan carries a monthly premium of $594 — a higher price than what he could have gotten on the D.C. exchange, but one that he hopes brings some added credibility with voters.

"I want to have the exact same experience and go through the same steps as other Alaskans when it comes to signing up for healthcare," Begich said in a statement issued by his office.

Other Democratic colleagues on the ballot next year appear to be following the same blueprint. Sens. Kay Hagan of North Carolina, Mark Pryor of Arkansas and Mary L. Landrieu of Louisiana, who along with Begich are key red-state targets for Republicans, have said they will enroll in their home-state exchanges rather than the one in D.C.

"The closer that you are aligned with your constituents the more likely it is that you're going to understand their issues," said Dan Mendelson, chief executive of Avalere Health, who said he had consulted with Congress members from both parties on their new options.

He said a number of members he had spoken with were experiencing "sticker shock" at their new rates and benefits.

"Many of the members were shocked at how much out-of-pocket costs they were going to need to assume," he said. "It's really the personal understanding of the fact that members of Congress have had a really sweet deal for a really long time."