This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Rep. Chris Stewart has decided his employees will get their health insurance through an exchange created by the Affordable Care Act, forgoing a loophole that lets member of Congress keep their staff on their current government plan.
Stewart, R-Utah, is taking the same tact as Reps. Jim Matheson and Jason Chaffetz and Sen. Mike Lee. These four lawmakers say Obamacare was drafted with the intent of moving members of Congress and their employees onto the exchanges, where they can shop from a variety of private insurance plans.
Sen. Orrin Hatch's spokesman wouldn't say whether the senator's employees would go on the exchanges, because of an office policy not to discuss "personnel matters."
Rep. Rob Bishop, on the other hand, is letting his staff decide if they'll stay with the insurance offered through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, which covers most federal employees, or go on the exchange. He argues that it preservers choices.
All of Utah's six members of Congress oppose the new health law.
— Matt Canham