chimpyco's greatest new idea ...

I thought you wanted this kind of social thing?

Aren't the upper end costs of health care likely to come down because people don't want to pay the tax on the huge dollar plans so the insurers don't get to rape and pillage as much?

Won't fewer people opt for the mega packages and so the insurer will make less 'profit'?

'Under the president's plan, the administration would cap the amount of health benefits that can remain tax-free at $15,000 for a family and $7,500 for an individual. Anyone whose health insurance cost more than that would pay taxes on the difference. For example, a family with coverage costing $16,000 a year would pay taxes on $1,000. The cap would also be used to establish the amount of the new deduction for people who lack coverage. In this example, a family buying insurance on its own could take a $15,000 deduction -- even if the insurance cost less.'

Is 15k a year on health costs an oppressive lower limit?

Would it be possible to negotiate more pay and drop employer provided health care?

Wouldn't this be a good plan for you?

If you spend 5k, 10k,12k (or whatever amount below the threshold) a year on it, you can deduct 15k and pocket the tax break.

Someone with no insurance can get some coverage and have the cost of it met or mitigated.

Wouldn't it be more painful to BushCo$ and more helpful to small business and individuals?

You can't see any possibilty of win/win/win?

As you know, this stuff is foreign to me (literally), help me understand.

So right there I'm thinking, "hmmmm, this plan must have merit."   

TFT,  I will chime in some more later...


here is my real thought.  by offering this 'idea'  the 'idea' is to make  100% care  'gold' type plans   unaffordable (pay for them, and pay taxes on them!) and hence go off the market.  this is good for insurance companies profit margins..no longer caring for the truly sick at full cost.   this is HORRIBLE for anyone with pre-existing conditions , terrible accidents, etc.  where yearly medical costs exceed $100k  etc. 

no insuranace plan will ever be perfect, fair, or anything else, but this is simply a corporate profit scheme that truly effects the old, sick,  while not really offering a tangible benefit to any 'people' at all.   this will not lower health insurance costs for those who buy 'out of pocket' and have no work benefit.      its basically like how 'trickle down economics' supposedly works,  only in the sense of trickling down lower costs and coverages to the poor who can't buy insurance now.    the main issue seems if you are too poor to buy the insurance now (monthly payment) how is getting a tax refund at the end of the year going to help?   does anyone REALLY think insurance comps are going to drop rates 40-50-60%  if the 2-3% of the population with severe problems who benefit from 'gold' type plans suddenly can't afford them and can be dropped?
     

Very true about not being able to speak.  Sadly, her Presidential aspirations may be down the *feces*ter since she's doing quite well now, no thanks to Aetna.