Comments on: Dear Nancy, Please Don’t Raise Taxes To Pay For Health Care…

By: Smiley

Smiley — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 23:47:33 +0000

What I find so itnesrteing is you could never find this anywhere else.

By: bob

bob — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:06:43 +0000

The bottom line people, is this. The government is incapable of doing anything right, and once they get their dirty hands on health care you can kiss your money and the best health care in the world good-bye.

By: JBruce

JBruce — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 17:57:49 +0000

Hey, pinko or no, I can be as greedy as the next guy. I’m 68 — in early 2008 I got a $25,000 a year raise — from Social Security (now $28K, thanks to inflation adjustments). I’m still working at my same old job of the last 35 years and have no plans at all to retire any time soon. Why am I collecting big $ from a retirement program. I think this is a stupid and expensive policy, but I’m certainly not going to send the money back in protest.
And — I wish there could be serious, on-topic debate about the health plan(s). Take the “death panel” alleged issue. Nobody acknowledges that death panels already exist; they’re called insurance companies. Or that insurance companies second-guess your doctor all the time, although they never send a qualified medical person to provide an authentic second opinion, or that they send salespeople to weasel old people into medicare supplement plans whose main purpose is to line the insurance companies’ pockets.
If the health plan did nothing but make private insurance transparent, eliminate “pre-existing condition” clauses and and circumvent in-state only provisions (so that all health plans could be available nationwide, that would go a long way toward reining in health care costs.
And let’s not forget that the drug company lobbyists saw to it that under the “new” and incomprehensible prescription drug plan, Medicare may NOT negotiate drug prices (which all insurance companies do).

By: Jeff Day

Jeff Day — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 13:35:06 +0000

Oh Mr Bruce, just wait. If it “isn’t fair” that some people have insurance and others don’t, it isn’t fair that my wife and I have a health savings account and even get to buy Tylenol with pre-tax dollars. That will just have to be changed.

Just wait if it “isn’t fair” that I have health insurance and others don’t this week, then next week is certainly isn’t fair that my wife and I have retirement plans and most poor people do not have the opportunity to contribute to a retirement plan. The only fair thing is to take the retirement plan and put those dollars into the largest ponzi scheme of the world called Social Security and keep it afloat for some years.

Amazing tho in of itself the democrats want to treat those that are oppossed to their socialist program are “UnChristian”, but then when it comes around their constituuents the union guys would have to pay also, they have to come up with a different program.

Amazing tho in of itself the democrats want to treat that the States would have to pay for those Medicare cuts, that they democrats say won’t happen, but then Hairy makes his and three other states get special treatment and most people don’t even realize it.

Jeff Day

By: JBruce

JBruce — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 13:07:56 +0000

Are flexible-benefits plans included as part of the “Cadillac”? Currently my portion of health insurance cost, and some other employee benefits are exempt not only from income tax but from FICA and Medicare tax as well. The big ticket is that I can stash up to $5000 a year in a flexible benefits account to pay for medical needs that insurance doesn’t cover (co-pays, glasses, and such). In effect, everything that qualifies for that plan costs me close to 40% “less” because it’s completely tax-free.
We can argue all day long about whether or not this kind of plan makes good sense, but you can bet that I cherish each and every dollar of unpaid taxes that I get to keep.

By: Kelly

Kelly — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 20:45:49 +0000

From the Senate Finance Committee proposal:

The Chairman‘s Mark imposes an excise tax on insurers if the aggregate value of employer-sponsored health coverage for an employee exceeds a threshold amount… The excise tax is imposed pro rata on the issuers of the insurance. In the case of a self-insured group health plan, a Health FSA, an HRA, the excise tax is paid by the plan administrator. Where the employer acts as plan
administrator to a self-insured group health plan, a Health FSA, or an HRA and with respect to employer contributions to an HSA, the excise tax is paid by the employer.

By: garagefather

garagefather — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:47:44 +0000

Here is where the rhetoric meets reality. For months, those in opposition of nationalized health care have said that the program would damage any health insurance coverage you already have. Who would be able to keep their Cadillac insurance plan after this. The tax would prohibit these plans for a lot of those that have them. Many new taxes and regulations will undoubtedly come in the near future due to unexpected costs overruns that will inevitably occur and will inhibit our ability to keep the plans we have and force us into a government plan, even if they are not Cadillac plans. The system will be skewed so that eventually, private insurance won’t be able to compete. That is why people have said that any government run health care system will eventually lead to a single payer system because the deck will be stacked in the governments favor.

By: Wayne Phillips

Wayne Phillips — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:24:41 +0000

Taxgirl,
When are folks going to recognize the real winner in all this health care discussion is the health insurance industry? They are the culprits as to the cause of the system ineffectiveness as it is now. Free Enterprise. Yes! Greed, particular excessive greed, no, and indictable NO!
Can anyone of your readers ever say they have a flawless experience when they use their health care? For DuPont pensioners, it is a nightmare. Just as the congressman stated, regarding Republician health care plan, if you get sick, hurry up and die. DuPont CEO and HR feel the same way. Great pension benefit, just do not use it.
No one seems to be concern that the health insurance folks are enjoying the fray about details when they will be the winner regardless. Their CEO’s are quiet, like spectators, waiting for the spoils.
Caps, cadillac plans, excise tax, all are for naught, if the rules aren’t changed for the health care insurance companies. But you don’t see Congress stepping forward to change the health care industry. Why? Campaign funds, pure and simple.
Term limits anyone??

By: Bob Guzzardi

Bob Guzzardi — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:06:36 +0000

Sorry, my post about you is at http://crnblog.org/?p=4240

Thanks again for posting news we can use.

By: Bob Guzzardi

Bob Guzzardi — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 13:58:35 +0000

Taxgirl I posted your post on AMT on my blog. My bio is at http://www.bobguzzardi.com and I am supporting Pat Toomey for Senate and the ideas of the Club for Growth. Much of what you post is more technical than policy but I think you feel for The Forgotten Taxpayer, including the small business taxpayer who actually provides employment to people who produce goods and provide services in the real world.