This is rich. Koch Industries, led by the "billionaire brothers" who "have funded opposition campaigns against so many Obama Administration policies—from health-care reform to the economic-stimulus program—that, in political circles, their ideological network is known as the Kochtopus."
They spent millions in astro-turf efforts against health insurance reform, in the guise of Americans for Prosperity ginning up the teabagger August revolt. So guess who's on the list of employers lining up for money from the Affordable Care Act? Yep.
Today, the Department of Health and Human Services announced the “first round of applicants accepted into the Early Retiree Reinsurance Program,” a $5 billion program established by the new health care law to help employers and states “maintain coverage for early retirees age 55 and older who are not yet eligible for Medicare.” According to the agency, “nearly 2,000 employers, representing large and small businesses, State and local governments, educational institutions, non-profits, and unions” applied and have been accepted into the program and “will begin to receive reimbursements for employee claims this fall.”
You're totally shocked, right? At least their older employees will be getting coverage. But it's more than ironic that federal dollars in the form of these reimbursements could end up contributing to the far-right libertarian get-government-out-of-our lives campaign the Koch's remain committed to bankrolling.