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**Viafdrear** · 01-23-2007, 01:28 PM

Just saw this....

Millions could see taxes up in Bush health plan - Boston Globe, Jan. 22, 2007:

About 30 million Americans could face a tax hike under President George W. Bush's plan to expand health insurance coverage and address rising health care costs, the White House said on Monday.

"There are always going to be some winners and some losers, but the people who might initially be losers have options," Kate Baicker, a member of the White House Council of Economic Advisors, told reporters.

There are about 47 million people with no health insurance in a country of 300 million. Baicker said Bush's tax proposal would result in "upwards of 3 million or more newly insured people." Baicker said about 30 million Americans could face higher taxes under the president's plan "if they didn't change their behavior" -- meaning giving up an employer's more generous health plan in favor of a less-costly one. The White House added that "more than 100 million Americans" would save money under Bush's plan. 30 million is a lot of people. If they change health plans to less costly - and therefore, less comprehensive - alternatives, their tax doesn't go up, their premiums go down ... but their out-of-pocket costs could go up quite a bit. Sounds like it might be a good deal for young and/or healthy people, and not-so-good for older or not-so healthy people. Personally, as someone who is making the transition from the first group to the second, I need to know a whole lot more about this plan ... but my initial reaction is, no thanks.

01-23-2007, 01:28 PM	#29
Viafdrear Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 474 Senior Member	Just saw this.... Millions could see taxes up in Bush health plan - Boston Globe, Jan. 22, 2007: About 30 million Americans could face a tax hike under President George W. Bush's plan to expand health insurance coverage and address rising health care costs, the White House said on Monday. "There are always going to be some winners and some losers, but the people who might initially be losers have options," Kate Baicker, a member of the White House Council of Economic Advisors, told reporters. There are about 47 million people with no health insurance in a country of 300 million. Baicker said Bush's tax proposal would result in "upwards of 3 million or more newly insured people." Baicker said about 30 million Americans could face higher taxes under the president's plan "if they didn't change their behavior" -- meaning giving up an employer's more generous health plan in favor of a less-costly one. The White House added that "more than 100 million Americans" would save money under Bush's plan. 30 million is a lot of people. If they change health plans to less costly - and therefore, less comprehensive - alternatives, their tax doesn't go up, their premiums go down ... but their out-of-pocket costs could go up quite a bit. Sounds like it might be a good deal for young and/or healthy people, and not-so-good for older or not-so healthy people. Personally, as someone who is making the transition from the first group to the second, I need to know a whole lot more about this plan ... but my initial reaction is, no thanks.
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