ExiledInIllinois Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 Don't 43% of all Americans pay zero income tax? That doesn't seem like much sharing to me. Ya it does. Lots of sharing. It means the rich people are sharing... Duh! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 That's because you're not a liberal. If you were a liberal, that would make perfect sense to you. See my post above! What are we second graders... The whole idea of pogressive income tax came into being long before you were born and they used MY justification for it. So you and your ilk must be wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YellowLinesandArmadillos Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 Don't 43% of all Americans pay zero income tax? That doesn't seem like much sharing to me. I am talking about young people who don't have health insurance but are healthy and don't use it, but never mind, all should be required to purchase it a pay a premium like crop insurance. If you want any kind of ag payments you are required to carry it, you could easily work out a disincentive program for those who do not participate, but nice non-sequitor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede316 Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 If you've got a high-deductible plan that has a $4 or $5 million dollar lifetime coverage limit, you won't be facing that issue. If you carry disability insurance, you should also be in fairly good shape. So where is this crisis? I can see someone who has *no* coverage being in that precarious situation, but someone who has a plan? I just don't see it. Edit: And if you have an employer-sponsored plan with better coverage, then you REALLY have no issue. I've gotta agree..This is just my story...so take it for what it's worth: I dislocated my shoulder and tore my labrum completely off about 18 months ago. Trip to Sydney, Hotel, Surgery, and Hospital stay all covered. Yes, I'm American and am covered by BUPA Intl and I do have a $5 mil lifetime coverage. And I'm almost positive no hospital in the USA would turn away anyone in need of life threatening medical assistance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 I've gotta agree..This is just my story...so take it for what it's worth: I dislocated my shoulder and tore my labrum completely off about 18 months ago. Trip to Sydney, Hotel, Surgery, and Hospital stay all covered. Yes, I'm American and am covered by BUPA Intl and I do have a $5 mil lifetime coverage. And I'm almost positive no hospital in the USA would turn away anyone in need of life threatening medical assistance. Which all sounds good until you realize that health care costs are rising at 3 times the rate of wages with no end in sight. Medicare/Medicaid cost more than DoD. There is a much bigger picture that most of you seem to be missing in much the same way teenagers think they know everything based on the little world they live in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede316 Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 There is a much bigger picture that most of you seem to be missing in much the same way teenagers think they know everything based on the little world they live in.Hey I like my little world!I think I know what you are getting at but what's the solution? Socialized medicine? I think there are ways to cover the 20 million or so people that want coverage (minus the illegals and the people that simply don't want it) and leave the rest of us relatively alone who are happy with what they have. I'm seriously no expert on this so I'll defer to you experts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 Which all sounds good until you realize that health care costs are rising at 3 times the rate of wages with no end in sight. Medicare/Medicaid cost more than DoD. There is a much bigger picture that most of you seem to be missing in much the same way teenagers think they know everything based on the little world they live in. Really? This business is my livelihood. I need to know this stuff in order to better present solutions to my clients. What's this "bigger picture?" The government forked up health care, and now they're trying to "fix" it. I agree Medicare and Medicaid are a mess. So why the hell would anyone in their right mind what a massive expansion of government involvement in healthcare when they screwed those two programs up so badly? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 Really? This business is my livelihood. I need to know this stuff in order to better present solutions to my clients. What's this "bigger picture?" The government forked up health care, and now they're trying to "fix" it. I agree Medicare and Medicaid are a mess. So why the hell would anyone in their right mind what a massive expansion of government involvement in healthcare when they screwed those two programs up so badly? That's not even on the table as far as I'm concerned. The bigger picture is how to move the current "system" (quoted because it's not a system at all but a patchwork intertube of bad business and bad law combining) to a more affordable model in the near future. We cannot continue the status quo nor can we allow the single payer solution to come to fruition. So the real question is how do we address all the very real problems that exist without losing out to the highest paying lobbiest on the Hill (the current way) or giving all the power to the burgeoning bureaucracy (the inevitable end result should the liberals get their way)? If this business is truly your livelihood, I'm baffled by your "I've got a $5 mill capped policy so I don't see the problem" post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 If this business is truly your livelihood, I'm baffled by your "I've got a $5 mill capped policy so I don't see the problem" post. My point with that response was that ANYONE can afford health insurance, even under the current "broken" system. Do I think health care could be more efficient? Absolutely. If we could find a way to remove the government and lawyers from the process and return healthcare to a simple " 'A' needs service, goes to provider 'B'. Source and amount of compensation is negotiated and care is provided" system. Complexity doesn't do anyone any good. Efficiency and simplicity does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFan-4-Ever Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Let me sum up what I have been hearing/reading. Democrats - This plan will help Americans gain access to affordable Health Care Republicans - This plan will not help and Americans will die. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
/dev/null Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Let me sum up what I have been hearing/reading.wanted to hear Democrats - This plan will help Americans gain access to affordable Health Care Republicans - This plan will not help and Americans will die. Corrected Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delete This Account Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 As someone who is in the health and life insurance business, this plan is not the most appetizing of thoughts. Does BO realize how many people in the insurance industry will likely be forced out of business if he passes this? That's a fairly large constituency. right, because the insurance industry has done us so well these past years. c'mon, Joe, when i have to organize a three-way conference call to prove to my HMO that the student doctor working for my covered doctor had, in fact, approved a certain medical procedure and that it should, in fact, be covered ... there's got to be a better way. but of course, this would be "socialism," and the greedheads forced out of business. but you're right, the status quo is really working. me putting a finger up my butt at this point has more potential to curing what's wrong because at the very least, it doesn't require me having to deal with my HMO, which is the last thing i ever want to be dealing with. never mind that's next to impossible to get these people on the phone, but when you do, there's normally some argument that follows. wow, i never realized it's a privilege to pay for frustration in this land, but some masochists must consider this to be part of their inclusion in "the pursuit of happiness." jw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThereIsNoDog Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 "The 47 million uninsured." That being said, private insurance companies continuing to jack-up rates while making billions in profits is inexcusable. As is denying people for pre-existing conditions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StupidNation Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 I have my own solutions: LAWSUITS -Major tort reform and cap damages to doctors in lawsuits -Mandate the client or the attorney must post a bond for the defendants entire legal cost and time, or they can pay their own retainer (the claim that it only affects pricing by 1% is a lie, look at doctors insurance costs over the last 20 years and why private practices are leaving in many fields) Onto the actual health system there are 2 plans that will work long term: 1st Have a true free market system for health like we did previous to welfarism. People weren't dying in the streets and medical costs were about 8% of people's income roughly according to most stats I've read... which is now over 20% of people's income Look at Lasik, it went from being very expensive to affordable under competition. This is true in many other non-insurable fields where the costs are going down despite inflation 2nd A real socialist model like Uruguay where the doctors are not paid much and the costs are way down. The only way this system works is if the gov't mandates cheap pay for doctors and does not allow an lawyers to sue the system so frequently. A few countries that do it that work to a much better degree than what we have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fingon Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 right, because the insurance industry has done us so well these past years. c'mon, Joe, when i have to organize a three-way conference call to prove to my HMO that the student doctor working for my covered doctor had, in fact, approved a certain medical procedure and that it should, in fact, be covered ... there's got to be a better way.but of course, this would be "socialism," and the greedheads forced out of business. but you're right, the status quo is really working. me putting a finger up my butt at this point has more potential to curing what's wrong because at the very least, it doesn't require me having to deal with my HMO, which is the last thing i ever want to be dealing with. never mind that's next to impossible to get these people on the phone, but when you do, there's normally some argument that follows. wow, i never realized it's a privilege to pay for frustration in this land, but some masochists must consider this to be part of their inclusion in "the pursuit of happiness." jw Do you like the government mandating that all insurance policies have to cover mammograms for people over 35, regardless of gender? How about the fact that it is illegal for you to purchase insurance that has a very high deductible, and only covers medical procedures and medical costs over a certain amount? Do you even realize how much money you would save on insurance premiums if you were allowed to choose what you want covered in your plan? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 My point with that response was that ANYONE can afford health insurance, even under the current "broken" system. Do I think health care could be more efficient? Absolutely. Really? So when the last time I got laid off and my Cobra was $1200 per month, that's pretty affordable? Most people don't seem to understand that their companies eat the lion's share of the cost of health care. You seem to be one of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Live&DieBillsFootball Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 Really? So when the last time I got laid off and my Cobra was $1200 per month, that's pretty affordable? Most people don't seem to understand that their companies eat the lion's share of the cost of health care. You seem to be one of them. If someone has never been laid off, or moved without having a job lined up, or became disabled, or retired early, or worked for a company without a medical plan, or had to purchase an individual policy, or had their kids no longer covered under their policy, or ever had a pre-existing condition then...they might think that our current system is great. I also like the posters who pay $10 a week toward their employer-paid coverage that think that the free market has great solutions for the uninsured. They get their medical insurance tax-free but want the uninsured to pony up $1200 a month of after-tax money for a substandard policy. I'm not sure what the solution is. I just know that the current system sucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YellowLinesandArmadillos Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 Don't 43% of all Americans pay zero income tax? That doesn't seem like much sharing to me. Kinda like the Corporations who pay no Corporate taxes... I forget the number... But all Americans pay sales taxes and percentage paid by low income Americans based on their income has been steadily rising. If they could write off Sales tax on their income statement that would be a great stimulus to the economy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 Kinda like the Corporations who pay no Corporate taxes... I forget the number... But all Americans pay sales taxes and percentage paid by low income Americans based on their income has been steadily rising. If they could write off Sales tax on their income statement that would be a great stimulus to the economy! Or like in the old days: CC interest Car loan interest That is make those things tax deductible again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede316 Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 For once I agree with you two. Interest should be a tax write off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts