Health care/Medicare

[Benny Profane]

I think it would be really interesting if all employers stopped providing HC and instead gave the money to their employees. Those people would then have to buy insurance -- I think the mere act of having to write a monthly check would cause the paradigm to shift rapidly.

Do you know how many people are riding around on new, shiny Harley Davidsons and have no health insurance? I'd buy that company's stock immediately, along with Ford (big, shiny pickups).

[DBdude]

My view re HC benefits being taxed as ordinary income is part of a larger view that fed income tax marginal rates and deductions should be retooled to become more progressive, a la pre-Reagan.

i am not a right wing nut job and believe that healthcare is a human right, but lets look at some numbers

if your family earns 70,000 and your income is adjusted up 12,000 for healthcare premiums to a top line number of 82,000 and you are at a 20% marginal tax rate above 70000, that is an extra 2400 in taxes

if your family earns 200,000 and income is adjusted up 12000 for healthcare premiums to a top line number of 212,000 and you are at a 35% marginal tax rate above 200000, that is an extra 3600 in taxes

I would rather make 200,000 and pay an extra 3600 versus 70000 and pay 2400

[mcski]

I think this reinforces steves point. Premiums need some retooling (along w taxes) in a progressive direction. Not the way the current admin is pushing. A lot easier to tweak the ACA then redo the whole enchilada, but i think the best would be Medicare for all w supplemental plans.

[Cono Este]

I think it would be really interesting if all employers stopped providing HC and instead gave the money to their employees. Those people would then have to buy insurance -- I think the mere act of having to write a monthly check would cause the paradigm to shift rapidly.

Why stop there? Make everyone pay cash! Then the real problem would reveal itself and we'd start fixing the real problem.

When I had no insurance and needed to pay a doctor 200 just to order a routine blood sugar test every three months, plus 400 for the test itself, the problems became real clear.


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[DBdude]

those numbers show the ridiculousness of a progressive tax on healthcare premiums

Obamacare is the net investment income tax, which levies an additional 3.8% surtax on interest, dividend, rent, royalty and passive business income of high-income taxpayers; those earning more than $250,000 (if married, $200,000 if single), the tax impacts only the wealthiest 2% of Americans.

[Timberridge]

because nobody wants to pay taxes silly boy

fify