If the insurance companies could get this reform and a guarantee of no reform in the future, they'd definitely be doing backflips. As it is, they're wary. A good public insurance program could easily be added to the current reform package; medical loss ratios--iirc the current reform requires that at least 85% of premiums paid go to medical care--could be tightened, either in one fell swoop or over time, to essentially limit the for profit aspect of the enterprise; the insurance anti-trust exemption could be dust at any moment; etc. My bold prediction of the day is that the for profit insurance companies, in their wary belief that future reform in on its way, will try to wring as much profit out of health insurance over the next 5-10 years as they can, thereby forcing Congress to engage in further reform and sowing the seeds of their own destruction. We are about to see a self fulfilling prophecy come true.
22+21+2 != 25 But taking your point seriously, it makes sense when the elected representatives of this country have a majority and can pass legislation. That's how.
No, it certainly doesn't, because at least 18 people are giving multiple, contradictory answers. OTOH, if it was 45 people...
So you deny there is a loophole for union members and that any coverage you have will remain uneffected for years to come?
I didn't deny a thing, and last I heard, I was supposed to be paying taxes on my "Cadillac Health Plan". Tax break sure would be nice...
I can't argue that, and you may be paying more for it eventually, but in the interum the rest of us get to reach into our pockets. Obama is just paying back the AFL-CIO at our expense.
Oh. I forgot. There's the other aspect of Federalized Healthcare: When the system starts to break down because the economics of it just don't work, there's another way to shore it up: Start telling people how they can live. "I'm sorry, but skiing is dangerous. You're no longer allowed to go skiing. We can't afford to treat people who are in motorcycle accidents, so motorcycles are illegal. Every year 35,000 people die in gun accidents so, for the good of the People, guns are outlawed. You might fall off a ladder painting your house, so from now on only federally licensed painters are allowed to paint houses."
Yeah. It's called reality, and it's a stone-cold bitch. Wait till it smacks you upside your pointy little head.
This whole mess is worse for you than most people in here. You're about to get out of college, start your career, start earning money, start a family, and you're still young and presumably healthy. So while health care should be the cheapest it's ever going to be for you, it will not be. Instead you'll pay more than your share during the years that you're supposed to sort of skate by. I also suspect that like medicare and social security, people on the young end of the scale are going to get fucked by this. We are going to pay into it for years and when we really need to use it the system will collapse. Don't ever count on getting your social security money back as it's intended to be given back because right now you're paying for your grandparents and soon you'll be paying for your parents. The problem is that your parents generation is poised to collapse the system and you'll never see all that money you're about to pay in for the next 20-40 years.
I can't link to it because it's the AP app on my iphone. But, I just read that the Attorney Generals of Florida, South Carolina, Nebraska, Utah, Texas, Pennsylvania, Washington, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Alabama are also moving this morning to file suit against the Federal Government.
They work fine in pretty much every other western country on earth. In fact, if run properly you should get better healthcare for less money, like most other places.
This line of bullshit treads closer to outright fucking lie every time it is repeated. If it costs me more, it's not saving me money, period, end of fucking story.
Im talking generally not specifically. You dont have the best healthcare in the world, but you do pay MUCH more than anyone else in the world for it. Thats a bad system...
Of course you are. It's the only way that argument holds a drop of piss. Doesn't refute my point, though.
Your points dont reute mine You have by far the most expensive healthcare in the wolrld and there is absolutely no reason WHY you should have the most expensive healthcare in the world. Its a totaly shit system that doesnt work
Edited for completeness. Actually, more likely they're just posturing for far right voters and they have no intent of seriously pursuing a lawsuit. A court might find narrow aspects of this legislation unconstitutional, but the critical aspects of the legislation can't be struck down without striking down Medicare and Social Security, not to mention a whole lot of other federal law, and that's not gonna happen. The Supreme Court is not going to provoke a constitutional crisis that it can not win and that would result in its own institutional irrelevancy. The attorneys general involved know this full well.
Congress has the Constitutional authority to levy taxes. Congress has NO authority under the Constitution to mandate that I buy a commercial product (health insurance) or face fines or other punishment. The state AGs know this full well.
You know the only way I can think of that I might consider being for federal health care is to completely abolish insurance companies and just have everyone be covered by tax dollars. I realize that opens the door to a wide variety of scams but at least there would be some savings on the front end. What a disaster it is though for us to not only have Federally run health care but now be forced to deal with insurance companies by law. It should definitely be one or the other, not both.
Congress has enacted tons of legislation that gives people a tax break for making a private investment. Pretty much every tax deduction and tax credit out there qualifies in one way or another. The way the tax in the health reform bill is structure is identical to having a $750 flat tax on everyone and offering a $750 tax credit to people who maintain medical insurance coverage. You can't strike down this law on the grounds you state without striking down pretty much every tax deduction and tax credit on the books.
That theory only holds up until they are paying you with IOUs or with dollars that are worthless due to hyperinflation. The answer is never to become part of the problem.
Maybe fuck you. You don't get to walk around uninsured and expect others to pick up the bill if/when you get hit by a car and need emergency surgery.
Why have insurance at all? A true Universal Health Care system would be paid for through tax dollars, don't you agree? Let's at least cut out the middle man and save some money where we can.
Non sequitor. We're not talking about a tax break to cover buying something, we're talking about being legally required to purchase health insurance or face a fine. Giving me a tax break when I buy insurance is not the same as threatening legal action if I don't buy insurance.
