Ohio: ObamaCare Threatening Volunteer Firefighters

Marshall Thanks for being ░░░░░░░░ us at 5 30 ░░░░░░░░ change is needed to ░░░░░░░░ what Ohio fire officials ░░░░░░░░ would be a drastic ░░░░░░░░ negative impact on local ░░░░░░░░ departments NBC4 reporter Ted ░░░░░░░░ is getting answers on ░░░░░░░░ this controversy is all ░░░░░░░░ Ted HART Well the ░░░░░░░░ mandate says that if ░░░░░░░░ have the full time ░░░░░░░░ of 50 or more ░░░░░░░░ you have to provide ░░░░░░░░ insurance And the IRS ░░░░░░░░ classified volunteer firefighters as ░░░░░░░░ So townships and cities ░░░░░░░░ rely on volunteers could ░░░░░░░░ forced to provide health ░░░░░░░░ Start Clip HART The ░░░░░░░░ Township Fire Department is ░░░░░░░░ third busiest department in ░░░░░░░░ county It is staffed ░░░░░░░░ volunteers who get a ░░░░░░░░ if they go out ░░░░░░░░ a run Lieutenant Jim ░░░░░░░░ and about 30 others ░░░░░░░░ in the blanks on ░░░░░░░░ calendar and take turns ░░░░░░░░ the firehouse DEAL We ░░░░░░░░ and choose what hours ░░░░░░░░ want to work during ░░░░░░░░ daytime and during the ░░░░░░░░ so we have a ░░░░░░░░ of when we want ░░░░░░░░ work and what days ░░░░░░░░ Even if the total ░░░░░░░░ worked by a volunteer ░░░░░░░░ department don t add ░░░░░░░░ to 50 full time ░░░░░░░░ by having to include ░░░░░░░░ volunteers with other full ░░░░░░░░ township employees a municipality ░░░░░░░░ exceed the 50 employee ░░░░░░░░ and be forced then ░░░░░░░░ provide health insurance WELCH ░░░░░░░░ percent of the fire ░░░░░░░░ in Ohio is provided ░░░░░░░░ volunteers so it does ░░░░░░░░ a significant impact on ░░░░░░░░ state of Ohio and ░░░░░░░░ does have a significant ░░░░░░░░ on local communities throughout ░░░░░░░░ state HART Scioto Township ░░░░░░░░ Chip Welch is on ░░░░░░░░ task force of the ░░░░░░░░ Association of Fire Chiefs ░░░░░░░░ the impact of the ░░░░░░░░ Care Act on fire ░░░░░░░░ EMS services He says ░░░░░░░░ organizations using volunteer firefighter ░░░░░░░░ not afford the cost ░░░░░░░░ health insurance WELCH Well ░░░░░░░░ think it s certainly ░░░░░░░░ of the unintended consequences ░░░░░░░░ nobody thought about but ░░░░░░░░ have a dramatic impact ░░░░░░░░ the United States End ░░░░░░░░ HART And the International ░░░░░░░░ of Fire Chiefs asked ░░░░░░░░ IRS for clarification on ░░░░░░░░ status of volunteers earlier ░░░░░░░░ year But with no ░░░░░░░░ so far this week ░░░░░░░░ members of Congress did ░░░░░░░░ legislation to tweak the ░░░░░░░░ of the Affordable Care ░░░░░░░░ to specifically exempt volunteer ░░░░░░░░ and emergency service personnel ░░░░░░░░ the mandate Ted Hart ░░░░░░░░