Bush to propose health insurance reforms in SOTU

[Perky]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush will propose in his State of the Union address a tax break for people who buy their own health insurance and a limit on how much coverage individuals can receive tax free at work.

The proposal to be announced Tuesday offers a tax deduction to people who purchase coverage and urges those with generous plans to either embrace cheaper insurance or pay taxes on part of it, according to a Bush administration official familiar with the proposals.

If passed by Congress, the plan would be the first time that workers could get a tax break for buying their own insurance. At the same time, it would be the first time that some employer-provided health care benefits could be taxed.

Bush also will announce steps next week to take some federal money now going to hospitals and institutions and give it to states for programs to reduce the number of uninsured people.

The cost of health care is growing more than two times faster than wages, making it harder for families to buy insurance and for employers to sponsor a health benefit for workers, Bush said Saturday in his weekly radio address.

"Our challenge is clear: We must address these rising costs, so that more Americans can afford basic health insurance," Bush said. "And we need to do it without creating a new federal entitlement program or raising taxes."

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/BUSH?SITE=CATOR&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2007-01-20-12-51-55

This is an interesting theory/notion but will not work to rive down prices unless there is real incentive to leave employees plans.

he only way to to do it to radically increase each exemptions by about $200 a month per dependent rather than betting the redunf in APril.

[stray cat]

1. Lets start by taxing the congress and senate for their health care

[SammyWinstonJack]

3. !!

:thumbsup: :applause: :yourock:

[Gloria]

2. tax breaks for buying insurance? Sounds like the Medical Savings

plans regurgitated on a broader scale...without the savings parts.

[PSPS]

9. So now we have two payees for out tax checks...

1. Halliburton

2. BushCo insurance company.

Everything else that is supposed to be funded by taxes can simply wither away.

Congress members have probably the most "generous" health coverage in the world, all taxpayer financed of course. Will they pay taxes on it? (A rhetorical question.)

[Warpy]

15. Yeah, and if you're paying $2000 a year or so in income taxes

a 10% tax credit is going to make a big difference when you're paying $1000/month for health insurance!

Cripes, these people are stupid.

[Mythsaje]

4. It's not an interesting theory/notion...

It's just another way to screw the middle class and benefit the insurance industry.

[Warren Stupidity]

5. Republican reform: pay more, get less.

Dumbass is irrelevant.

[RaleighNCDUer]

6. At its core will be massive amount of money

being funnelled to the insurance industry.

[OhioChick]

8. Like they're not already making enough...

UnitedHealth posts $1.2 billion quarterly profit


Thu Jan 18, 6:40 AM ET



NEW YORK (Reuters) - Insurer UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE:UNH - news) on Thursday posted fourth-quarter net earnings of $1.2 billion, but said that because of an ongoing accounting review, year-earlier results were no longer reliable for comparison.

The company, the largest U.S. health insurer by market value, said previously reported operating costs did not correctly reflect noncash stock-based compensation expenses related to historic stock option grants.

UnitedHealth did not provide earnings-per-share figures, but did say it had 1.4 billion diluted weighted-average common shares outstanding in the fourth quarter.

On that basis, earnings were nearly 86 cents per share. Analysts on average expected 85 cents, according to Reuters Estimates.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070118/bs_nm/unitedhealth_results_dc_2

[Selatius]

7. Unfortunately, I don't think you'll see 100 percent universal health care here.

Will it help more people buy health insurance if they can deduct the premium amount from their taxes? Probably.

Will it mean all people who don't have health insurance and can't afford it now will be able to afford health insurance? Probably not. There's probably going to be people who have incomes to high for Medicaid yet too low to still afford the premiums.

A bigger problem is whether there will be any mechanism that will bring down the rate of inflation with insurance rates to the rising level of wages. None exists, and that's the hole here. If I have to pay 7000/year for health insurance, I may be able to deduct it from my taxes, but what incentive will there be for the insurance industry not to raise rates twice as fast as wages? None. In the end, the federal government will lose revenue if everybody lets the industry set premium levels with people taking increasingly larger and larger deductions as rates continue to rise. (Honestly, I fear they will CAP the amount you can deduct from your taxes to account for this fact)

An alternative is to raise taxes on the rich to off-set the loss in revenue, and I don't think even Democrats have that kind of fortitude at this point in time.

[havocmom]

10. Anything they suggest will just be a $$ funnel to already FAT cats

Some things are simply best done communally. Health insurance is in that group as surely as roads and schools.

Oh, but they are selling off the roads and shifting the playing field to favor private schools, aren't they. Why do they hate Americans? Ah, for the money.

[Cleita]

22. Yep, we have to start taking our tax dollars back to be spent on

the programs we all need as a community in all our communities in America.

[Clinton_Co_Regulator]

11. This is about UNION BUSTING

[Rosemary2205]

26. Yes it is. Blatantly so.

union workers are more likely to have decent health insurance with affordable copays and deductables. Union workers can actually afford to need healthcare. this plan will simply force union workers to pay income taxes on their healthcare benefits and in no time at all will destroy those benefits. Companies and unions will switch over to a different type of plan with less affordability and less coverage but more profit to the insurance company all in the name of "saving the worker all those nasty taxes". Plus it takes the major bargaining chip out of a union's hands.

[Limelight]

12. Bush got at least one part right....

I think letting people deduct the cost of insurance on their taxes is a good idea. But the notion of making those who get full coverage through employment (and you know who he means... the damned unionized workers who have the unmidigated gall of demanding that they, for their hard work on behalf of their employers that make said employers cash, get a proper peice of the pie) should pay taxes on their coverage is bullshit.

However, I see nothing wrong with tax incentives for the business providing the insurance, being able to deduct a certain percentage of the cost of the coverage they provide from their taxes. Frankly I think all the bitching and moaning major companies do about paying taxes is garbage as there are so many tax loopholes and shelters written into the code to insure they don't pay nearly as much as they should that it's a BS argument and I'm slightly loathed to give them yet another one, however if it encourages more companies to do more for their workers frankly I'm all for it.

[biscotti]

13. Watch your wallet

if * wants to improve the health insurance situation.

[Strelnikov_]

14. ..

[Heywood J]

16. Yeah, a tax incentive

to start paying it yourself (and thus leave yourself completely vulnerable to the next gargantuan price hike), and a tax hit to get off corporate insurance (and save them a bundle).

[Cleita]

18. Bingo! You get the prize.

[Cleita]

17. I saw that. I shot down that Republican piece of sh*t health plan

years ago on another board long before DU was founded. In order to get tax credits, one has to make a sufficient income to be taxed. This leaves scores of people uncovered by a health plan and still allows the insurance industry to be a major decider in the game the same industry that has caused this health care crisis to begin with.

A better way is to offer Medicare on the open market to be sold alongside privatized insurance to employers and individuals. Children, the elderly, and those too sick to work or too underemployed to afford health insurance would get Medicare automatically.

Medicare for all in the long run is the best solution and very attainable without costing more than health care costs now and it could be put into practice almost immediately as all the bureaucracy is already in place. States could offer medigap coverage in a single payer universal health care mode perhaps through Medicaid,and it is already in place as well or from private insurances, who compete on the open market.

A health plan that can't be accessed by everyone, especially those who can't afford co-pays and insurance premiums should be the goal of health care reform, not another half-baked Republican plan that protects the for profit, health care insurance, HMO and PHARMA industries. However, by offering Medicare and Medicaid on the open market, the for profits can't scream foul. It is fair market, isn't it?

[G_Leo_Criley]

28. Medicare for All

I agree Cleita. Ted Kennedy has a Medicare for All proposal that would be perfect. He's been trying to get this done for years -- virtually since he first came to the Senate.

The infrastructure is already in place to implement this. (But then we wouldn't be lining the pockets of *'s buddies would we?) Yes it is fair market. Providers have had many years to hone their charges so that they'll get enough out of Medicare.

I really abhor *'s cynicism in even suggesting that workers pay taxes on health benefits, while totally ignoring those without money to pay for ANY health coverage. What a goof.
Nice post Cleita. Thanks.

glc

[antigop]

29. Medicare for All -- single-payer

Let the insurance companies compete against Medicare for All.

Force the insurance companies to accept everyone at the same rate. Let them compete against Medicare for All. We'll see who wins.

[fasttense]

19. Oh great more taxes for the middle class. Thanks again crazy king george.

[Phredicles]

20. The Plan: "Don't git sick. Heh, heh, heh..."

Sounds like a classic "band-aid on a hemorrhage" solution...

[Cleita]

21. I believe he presented the same plan on one of his other SOTUS.

It's an old Republican retread that has no merit.

[JCMach1]

23. They are going to raise taxes to pay for this by ending

exemptions of some pre-tax dollars going to health care...

More rubbish as usual.

[nadinbrzezinski]

24. Tax health insurance at work

is he fucking NUTS?

Sorry... but this will go the way of SS reform... and they will use it as proof that the country does not want national health care.

That said, one good thing I can see about chuckle nuts, he just opened the barn door

[G_Leo_Criley]

25. This freak * ...

has no shame.

I hope that Webb will say that - or something very much like it - in the dem response.

This is supposed to be a solution to the health insurance crisis in this country? What a schmuck.

glc

[liberal renegade]

27. He must be smoking lots of

dope,cause he's full of bright ideas....:think: :sarcasm:

[bobbolink]

30. O Goddess preserve us!

The * with King Midas in reverse would certainly make health care "death" care.

We need one of Swampy's graphics here!!

OK, I'm in a cynical mood today, so .....maybe the silver lining with this is that in a couple of years, it would be so bad that citizens would be clammoring for a REAL health care bill.... like HR676!

Thanks for the article! :hi:

[antigop]

31. HR 676 -- Medicare for ALL

I'm waiting for Conyers to re-introduce in this session.

Last session it had 78 co-sponsors.

[bobbolink]

32. I enjoyed seeing the numbers of co-sponsors to HR676!

Do you know off-hand how many of those were not re-elected? Probably Cynthia McKinney is one...

Do you have a guess of how many of the new recruits might sign on?

[antigop]

33. I talked to Conyers' staff just this past week, bobbolink

They will re-introduce HR 676. Staffer said a couple of the co-sponsors were not re-elected, but they expected to pick up some co-sponsors from the newbie Congressional reps.

[bobbolink]

34. Thanks for the info! I haven't talked to his office in quite a while.

I appreciate you passing that on!

If you ever have the time and inclination, it would be helpful to post the list of past sponsors, with the notation of who is no longer... and divvying it up and calling the rest to make sure they're still in support.

Then, to have a list of "possibles", and start calling them.

Hmmmm, sounds like a project.

:rofl:

:hi: good to see you again, "anti"!! :)

[antigop]

36. HA -- you asked for the list just as I posted it!

Great minds think alike!

[bobbolink]

38. Sing along with me... "If I only had a brain.."

:rofl:

Thanks!

Really, this could be a very good project for the DU "thinktank", would it not?

I series!!!1111!!!!!!

:rofl:

[antigop]

35. list of 78 co-sponsors from last session--not sure who has not returned out of this list

Rep Abercrombie, Neil - 5/5/2005
Rep Baldwin, Tammy - 5/10/2005
Rep Becerra, Xavier - 11/17/2005
Rep Berman, Howard L. - 9/12/2006
Rep Bishop, Sanford D., Jr. - 6/14/2006
Rep Brady, Robert A. - 12/5/2006
Rep Brown, Corrine - 11/15/2005
Rep Brown, Sherrod - 2/1/2006
Rep Capuano, Michael E. - 12/13/2005
Rep Carson, Julia - 6/7/2005
Rep Christensen, Donna M. - 2/8/2005
Rep Clay, Wm. Lacy - 5/10/2005
Rep Cummings, Elijah E. - 5/5/2005
Rep Davis, Danny K. - 5/26/2005
Rep Delahunt, William D. - 12/15/2005
Rep Doyle, Michael F. - 5/22/2006
Rep Engel, Eliot L. - 6/7/2005
Rep Evans, Lane - 6/7/2005
Rep Farr, Sam - 5/5/2005
Rep Fattah, Chaka - 5/17/2005
Rep Filner, Bob - 4/5/2005
Rep Frank, Barney - 5/18/2005
Rep Green, Al - 2/16/2006
Rep Grijalva, Raul M. - 5/25/2005
Rep Gutierrez, Luis V. - 5/18/2005
Rep Hastings, Alcee L. - 6/13/2005
Rep Hinchey, Maurice D. - 5/5/2005
Rep Honda, Michael M. - 6/22/2005
Rep Jackson, Jesse L., Jr. - 5/25/2005
Rep Jackson-Lee, Sheila - 5/19/2005
Rep Johnson, Eddie Bernice - 7/25/2006
Rep Jones, Stephanie Tubbs - 11/14/2005
Rep Kaptur, Marcy - 2/14/2006
Rep Kilpatrick, Carolyn C. - 5/26/2005
Rep Kucinich, Dennis J. - 2/8/2005
Rep Lantos, Tom - 6/7/2005
Rep Lee, Barbara - 5/5/2005
Rep Lewis, John - 5/25/2005
Rep Lynch, Stephen F. - 11/17/2005
Rep Maloney, Carolyn B. - 5/26/2005
Rep McDermott, Jim - 2/8/2005
Rep McGovern, James P. - 5/10/2005
Rep McKinney, Cynthia A. - 6/16/2005
Rep McNulty, Michael R. - 12/6/2005
Rep Meehan, Martin T. - 5/22/2006
Rep Miller, George - 5/10/2005
Rep Moore, Gwen - 9/21/2006
Rep Nadler, Jerrold - 5/25/2005
Rep Napolitano, Grace F. - 11/14/2005
Rep Norton, Eleanor Holmes - 7/25/2006
Rep Olver, John W. - 4/13/2005
Rep Owens, Major R. - 5/10/2005
Rep Pastor, Ed - 5/18/2005
Rep Payne, Donald M. - 5/10/2005
Rep Rangel, Charles B. - 4/5/2005
Rep Reyes, Silvestre - 2/14/2006
Rep Roybal-Allard, Lucille - 2/8/2006
Rep Rush, Bobby L. - 12/15/2005
Rep Sanchez, Linda T. - 7/25/2006
Rep Sanders, Bernard - 6/7/2005
Rep Schakowsky, Janice D. - 12/13/2005
Rep Scott, Robert C. - 5/25/2005
Rep Serrano, Jose E. - 5/12/2005
Rep Solis, Hilda L. - 7/12/2005
Rep Stark, Fortney Pete - 5/5/2005
Rep Thompson, Bennie G. - 5/19/2005
Rep Tierney, John F. - 6/15/2005
Rep Towns, Edolphus - 5/26/2005
Rep Udall, Tom - 5/26/2005
Rep Velazquez, Nydia M. - 12/15/2005
Rep Visclosky, Peter J. - 6/22/2006
Rep Waters, Maxine - 12/15/2005
Rep Watson, Diane E. - 5/5/2005
Rep Waxman, Henry A. - 5/19/2005
Rep Weiner, Anthony D. - 5/25/2005
Rep Wexler, Robert - 2/1/2006
Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. - 5/10/2005
Rep Wynn, Albert Russell - 5/5/2005

[bobbolink]

37. DAmn, you're GOOOOOD!

I hadn't even finished posting my request!

Your mind-reading ability is kinda scary. ~~chortle~~

OK, we definitely know McKinney is out. No other names are jumping out at me.

Maybe because I'm sooo pissed that none of COs reps are on that list!!

Tom Udall is on, so why isn't his brother, Mark, in Colorado? Doesn't Tom ever have a deep conversation with Mark? :rofl:

[antigop]

40. And Sherrod Brown is now in the Senate..

not sure about the others.

[bobbolink]

41. OK, so that should be two very likely Senate votes...

Not a landslide, but a great start.

[bobbolink]

39. It occurs to me that the easiest way to find out who didn't return

is to simply ask the Health Care staffer for Conyers.

My middle name isn't "Path-of-least-resistance" for nothing! :)

I can't think of the names off-hand now, but it seems to me a couple of the new-comers would be likely.

Then, in the Senate, we have BARNEY!!!! Hurrah!