[panholio]

Up until now corporations were able to deduct the health insurance they carried on their employees. Now Bush is proposing that every day workers that pay their own health insurance can do the same thing. He's expected to announce this in his state of the union address.

This is what we Republicans call a tax cut. Kudos to Bush.

Varus

[kranfid]

Well for 30 million American workers it's actually a tax increase.
But now people who can't afford health insurance will be able to deduct it from their income taxes, taxes that, as you have pointed out in other threads, they don't pay.

What a plan, they'll be able to deduct what they can't afford, from the taxes they don't pay. It's like "Victory in Iraq", another tribute to Abraham Lincoln who said "you can fool some of the people all of the time" .

[panholio]

Well for 30 million American workers it's actually a tax increase.
But now people who can't afford health insurance will be able to deduct it from their income taxes, taxes that, as you have pointed out in other threads, they don't pay.

What a plan, they'll be able to deduct what they can't afford, from the taxes they don't pay. It's like "Victory in Iraq", another tribute to Abraham Lincoln who said "you can fool some of the people all of the time" .

Are you really that obtuse? Are you seriously implying that someone should be able to deduct a tax from something they're not paying in the first place?

Let me get this straight you're actually against US citizens being able to deduct what they're paying in health insurance?

Varus

[annouhMus]

Well for 30 million American workers it's actually a tax increase.
But now people who can't afford health insurance will be able to deduct it from their income taxes, taxes that, as you have pointed out in other threads, they don't pay.

What a plan, they'll be able to deduct what they can't afford, from the taxes they don't pay. It's like "Victory in Iraq", another tribute to Abraham Lincoln who said "you can fool some of the people all of the time" .

It really makes no sense does it????

[sarasaraseda]

Well for 30 million American workers it's actually a tax increase.
But now people who can't afford health insurance will be able to deduct it from their income taxes, taxes that, as you have pointed out in other threads, they don't pay.

What a plan, they'll be able to deduct what they can't afford, from the taxes they don't pay. It's like "Victory in Iraq", another tribute to Abraham Lincoln who said "you can fool some of the people all of the time" .

Before I go any further will you state your position on illegal immigration? The reason I ask is that it often seems that most liberals have no problem about them filling our cities and towns, then cry about people who can't afford health care. Now please, just for me, can you cite any reasons why health care is so high?



Perhaps I can find a comparative graph showing the influx of illegals and the rising cost of health care in say, the last 10-15 years.

[panholio]

Before I go any further will you state your position on illegal immigration? The reason I ask is that it often seems that most liberals have no problem about them filling our cities and towns, then cry about people who can't afford health care. Now please, just for me, can you cite any reasons why health care is so high?



Perhaps I can find a comparative graph showing the influx of illegals and the rising cost of health care in say, the last 10-15 years.

Whoa you just blew his mind. And that 30million number he proposed is completely bogus if you don't include illegal aliens; who incidentally are benefiting from our wonderful health care system.

Varus

[Usogwdkb]

Well for 30 million American workers it's actually a tax increase.
But now people who can't afford health insurance will be able to deduct it from their income taxes, taxes that, as you have pointed out in other threads, they don't pay.

What a plan, they'll be able to deduct what they can't afford, from the taxes they don't pay. It's like "Victory in Iraq", another tribute to Abraham Lincoln who said "you can fool some of the people all of the time" .

A tax increase??? I pay for insurance and I'm not a member of the elite society so I'll definitely welcome the deduction.

[panholio]

A tax increase??? I pay for insurance and I'm not a member of the elite society so I'll definitely welcome the deduction.

anyone who actually pays their own health insurance welomes this deduction. Those that are opposed are used to sucking off the govn t*t.

Varus

[JRixlcvF]

Up until now corporations were able to deduct the health insurance they carried on their employees. Now Bush is proposing that every day workers that pay their own health insurance can do the same thing. He's expected to announce this in his state of the union address.

This is what we Republicans call a tax cut. Kudos to Bush.

Varus

It's also a tax increase for the people with stealthier health insurance plans who will have to start paying taxes on the amount that goes over a set cap. This plan doesn't address the causes of high health care costs or high insurance costs.

This is a useless idea and it won't pass anyway.

[kranfid]

A tax increase??? I pay for insurance and I'm not a member of the elite society so I'll definitely welcome the deduction.

Actually, it's nothing but hot air, this "proposal" is going nowhere.

The proposal gives every family a $15,000 standard deduction, worth $4500 to people in the top tax bracket (who most likely already have insurance), and $1500 to people in the 10% tax bracket (the working poor, who most likely need insurance).
How much family plan health insurance does $1500 buy?

[blackjackblax]

Actually, it's nothing but hot air, this "proposal" is going nowhere.

The proposal gives every family a $15,000 standard deduction, worth $4500 to people in the top tax bracket (who most likely already have insurance), and $1500 to people in the 10% tax bracket (the working poor, who most likely need insurance).
How much family plan health insurance does $1500 buy?

One with an unaffordable copay and high deductable.

[panholio]

Actually, it's nothing but hot air, this "proposal" is going nowhere.

The proposal gives every family a $15,000 standard deduction, worth $4500 to people in the top tax bracket (who most likely already have insurance), and $1500 to people in the 10% tax bracket (the working poor, who most likely need insurance).
How much family plan health insurance does $1500 buy?

So you don't feel the citizens should be responsible for their own care? Incidentally if you allow citizens who are actually responsible for their own health care the ability to have some control over what they're paying in that will be reflected in the price of health care for all. For example I own an insurance agency; the more people in TN that carry insurance the less the cost of insurance is. In state like TX and FL they have a large amount of people who are uninsured for whatever reason; this causes the price of insurance to skyrocket. Insurance is insurance the more people who are willing to be responsible for their own insurance the less the cost of that insurance.

Varus

[homerdienru]

Remember Masseschutes governor Roomey his health care bill? He said all people of Masseschutes must pay for some sort of Health insurance or pay an extra tax to get goverments insurance. If Low income people cant afford to pay the health insurance the state will provide one for you.But if youre making good money and if you donty get a health insurance provider you pay an extra tax to get states insurance which is medicaid.

[casinobonusa]

Actually, it's nothing but hot air, this "proposal" is going nowhere.

The proposal gives every family a $15,000 standard deduction, worth $4500 to people in the top tax bracket (who most likely already have insurance), and $1500 to people in the 10% tax bracket (the working poor, who most likely need insurance).
How much family plan health insurance does $1500 buy?

Yup. Not a hell of a lot. That's what I thought too.

[Cyncceply]

Yup. Not a hell of a lot. That's what I thought too.

Yes, but it is not nothing either. Can someone tell me what the Democrats are offering?

How about using this plan as a starting point for discussion versu just beating it down

[Viafdrear]

How about using this plan as a starting point for discussion versu just beating it down.

I think that if the idea can be said to have any merit at all, you just put your finger on it. Democrats have been talking about affordable health insurance for years (and only recently have they had the ability to do something other than just talk about it). If a proposal by Bush is enough to get both parties to sit down and seriously talk about solutions, then I'm glad Bush offered it up.

But I gotta tell ya, it cracks me up that Bush actually proposed a tax increase - of any kind - to address a problem. Wish the sky wasn't overcast tonight - I'd check for a blue moon!

[Cyncceply]

I think that if the idea can be said to have any merit at all, you just put your finger on it. Democrats have been talking about affordable health insurance for years (and only recently have they had the ability to do something other than just talk about it). If a proposal by Bush is enough to get both parties to sit down and seriously talk about solutions, then I'm glad Bush offered it up.

But I gotta tell ya, it cracks me up that Bush actually proposed a tax increase - of any kind - to address a problem. Wish the sky wasn't overcast tonight - I'd check for a blue moon!

Can someone please summarize for me where the tax increase element comes in. Juduging from previous posts, I must have missed something in the speech last night.

Thanks

[DrCeshing]

Bush has proposed taxing people who have employer-provided health insurance plans over $15,000. They would be taxed because he would make these premiums taxable income. What that would do to employees is force them to either purchase reduced health insurance plans that don't give them the same coverage, or keep the coverage they have but lose out on income.

Another poorly thought out plan by the boy blunder in the White House.

[DrCeshing]

Maybe Bush didn't say so in his speech, but the White House put that out on Monday.

[Cyncceply]

Bush has proposed taxing people who have employer-provided health insurance plans over $15,000. They would be taxed because he would make these premiums taxable income. What that would do to employees is force them to either purchase reduced health insurance plans that don't give them the same coverage, or keep the coverage they have but lose out on income.

Another poorly thought out plan by the boy blunder in the White House.

Thanks for the clarification. Personally, I feel that a top stop on health insurance tax breaks is OK but I am not sure $15K is the right number. The top stop should be above the cost of good quality health insurance and should look at factors such as the number of family members requiring coverage, etc.

I still believe this plan is a good starting point for discussion between the President and Congress. Let's get the discussion going