Health Care Spin

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  • Posted By: aloisonline @ 10/16/2008 5:24:35 AM

    .Who is really paying health insurance aka disease care in America.
    Folks lets check the facts and do the math and you will find it is us the taxpayer paying 100% of it all.
    1. The "Private Sector" as the republicans so fondly call it is "Providing" health insurance but it is us the taxpayer after paying taxes on our wages and purchase the goods and services from those businesses who "Provide" health insurance. Providing employees with health insurance is a business expense and it is build into the price of those goods and services we buy and is also tax deductible and it gives those companies who refuse providing health insurance an unfair advantage because they charge somewhat lower prices and yet reap a higher profit margin.
    2. There are about 14 million federal employees with health insurance paid for by, yes you guessed right, the taxpayer and the same goes for our city, county and state employees of about 45 million people.
    3. Those unfortunate people who have no health insurance due to unemployment or who have jobs with companies that use predatory employment practices and other factors cannot afford seeing doctors as needed and will and do end up in the emergency rooms of our hospitals that are again paid for by the taxpayer.
    4. Medicaid paid for by the taxpayer.
    Well, having said all that i think a redistribution of this existing wealth should suffice to include every man, woman and child.

    • Posted By: timwalsh300 @ 10/16/2008 8:01:54 AM

      aloisonline,

      You make a great point here that most people don't realize: we can try shifting the tax burden around as much as we want, but in the end we all end up paying the same. Sure, you can raise the corporate income tax, but indirectly that is going to come our of your paycheck (lower salaries and wages) and your wallet (higher priced goods and services). Every time the government increases spending, no matter who they claim is paying the bills, we all feel it.

  • Posted By: MotorCityMe @ 10/16/2008 6:22:48 AM

    My health insurance through my employer costs $14,500.- not a mere $5000.- That does not include eye care or dental. If taxed on my plan I lose money. What planet is McCain from? He's out of touch with reality on Earth.

    Obama '08

    • Posted By: timwalsh300 @ 10/16/2008 7:56:06 AM

      MotorCityMe,

      You need to do your math again if you think you are losing money under McCain's plan. The only way that the tax on your $14,500 health care plan exceeds the $5,000 tax credit is if you are in the 35% tax bracket, making more than $357,700. And if that is the case, then Barack Obama says you are one of the wealthy folks (making more than $250,000 each year) who should be subject to a massive income tax increase. Wait and see how much money you end up losing when that happens.

  • Posted By: MotorCityMe @ 10/16/2008 6:18:26 AM

    My health insurance plan through my employer costs $14,5000.- Not a mere $5000.- And that doesn't include eye care or dental. If taxed on my health insurance plan (if I'm lucky enough to keep it through my employer) as McCain is proposing, I will lose money. What planet is McCain from that he thinks health insurance is so affordable? His plan is not a plan at all!

    Obama '08

  • Posted By: BNuckols @ 10/16/2008 4:45:40 AM

    Take a look at what is happening in Canada and the UK: those nations are moving more and more toward privately paid insurances as subsidies.

    I wonder whether the "cost" of the McCain plan figures in the money that goes into the Health Savings Plans. Those plans could theoretically become self-supporting, especially for younger and healthier people who don't spend all their money each yyear.

    Take a look at

    I

  • Posted By: medford-oregon @ 10/16/2008 3:47:46 AM

    Don't believe what Obama and McCain are sayihng. They both are just putting themselves in line for bribes by vested interests.

    Americans could greatly reduce the cost of medical care, and the high cost of medication, by simply outlawing all commercial forms of health insurance. Of course the government woould continue Medicare and Medicaid. But the government would regulate what can be charged for medicalal services and medications. Just as Wall Street needs up to date regulation, the medical community meeds the same.

  • Posted By: drewand @ 10/15/2008 8:36:32 AM

    Obama definitely has a plan, unlike the McCain proposal. However, this is probably one of the issues that will fall by the wayside because of the economic crisis. Neither candidate is admitting that no matter what government spending has to go down and taxes must go up to help turn this disater around. Hopefully the candidates will address this tonight in the last debate. OBAMA-BIDEN

  • Posted By: SportinLife @ 10/15/2008 12:58:40 AM

    The main purpose of McCain's plan seems to be to shift health care away from being something provided as a benefit of employment--and toward something that every individual has to buy on their own. What else could be the purpose of suddenly starting to tax health insurance benefits? That will explicitly discourage employers from offering them, and it will discourage employees from taking advantage of them. Why does he want to do that?

  • Posted By: MorningMom @ 10/14/2008 10:02:57 PM

    Both insurance policies suck just as bad as what we currently dealing with. Just one is less of a headache. *sighs* American citizens should not have to thru so much crap for health services. There is truly no justification for health care to be for profit.

  • Posted By: chrisdafrog @ 10/14/2008 8:29:43 PM

    Your analysis is very poorly done.

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