Democrats hit proposed new tax on insurance plans

[Thrill]

WASHINGTON – Unhappy Senate Democrats on Thursday found plenty to complain about in the fine print of the latest health overhaul bill, particularly a tax provision they fear would hit hard at middle-class Americans, from coal miners in West Virginia to firefighters in New York.

The opposition sprang up a day after Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., unveiled long-delayed legislation that would transform the nation's health care system, requiring almost everyone to buy insurance, making insurance companies cover people with pre-existing medical conditions and reining in spiraling health care costs.

The bill has given fresh momentum to President Barack Obama's top domestic priority of extending health coverage and controlling costs.

To pay for the 10-year, $856 billion bill Baucus wants to tax high-value insurance plans, those worth $21,000 for a family and $8,000 for an individual. Baucus says those are "Cadillac plans" enjoyed by a small minority of Americans. Aides said about 10 percent of plans and 8 percent of taxpayers could be affected.

But other Democratic senators fear that the tax would reach deep into middle-class pocketbooks, and labor unions are upset. Two Democrats on the Finance Committee, Sens. John Kerry of Massachusetts and Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, along with other senators, say they want to limit the tax before signing off on the bill.

"We need to make it fairer to working people so that working folks don't get dragged into this at a level where they just don't have the incomes to support it," Kerry told reporters after a closed-door committee meeting to discuss the bill. The panel will begin voting on the bill Tuesday.

Rockefeller, who met privately with Obama on Wednesday, said the proposal "could prevent workers in high-risk professions from getting the health benefits that they need, particularly coal miners," a significant constituency in his state.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_health_care_taxes;_ylt=Al.vxKs.nSwBuuQchUcVvBus0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTMyZXUyZWRkBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMDkwOTE3L3VzX2hlYWx0aF9jYXJlX3RheGVzBGNwb3MDMQRwb3MDMgRwdANob21lX2Nva2UEc2VjA3luX3RvcF9zdG9yeQRzbGsDZGVtb2NyYXRzaGl0

That sneaky ass Baucus. What a rat

[hedgehog]

1. Well, THIS Democrat is certainly opposed! Apparently, my

husband's company does buy us a Cadillac plan. We always had good insurance since the coverage the American employees get has to match what they get in England, Canada, Brazil,Switzerland, and South Korea. Still, I do have problems getting coverage for some medications. I guess you'd say my Cadillac has a flat tire!

[Nuclear Unicorn]

2. Did I read that right?

The tax would hit union plans?

That's a helluva way to repay the unions for improving people's lot in life and supporting the dems at almost every turn. Does Baucus go home and slap his mother everyday too?

[stray cat]

4. A single union worker will pay at least 3500/yr in taxes; a family about 8000 minimum

in addition to any taxes they already pay.

[stray cat]

3. Baucus lies: If you get insurance from your employer it will be over these limits

even for mediocre policies. If you are a member of a union it will be well over these limits even if you don't think you have great coverage. Remember a catastrophic policy with a 5000 deductible that pays nothing below 5000 will cost a single person about 5000 per year. Lets assume my policy for a single person is an additional 10,000 per year in term of fringe from my employer. It will get taxed at 35% so I will have to pay an additional 3500 a year in taxes without any increase in pay. For a family it almost 8000 more in taxes per year. Cough it up if you have employer subsidized health care.

[stray cat]

5. I checked with an employer on the cost of ok insurance plans per person - 8-12,000

per single. 20,000 per family. The cadilac plans they want to tax is really just having a car that runs

[stray cat]

6. Congress and senate better fork up 35% of the value of the health insurance we buy them

and not us poor saps only.