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View Full Version : Who actually knows what is in the healthcare bill?



Boarder
3/21/2010, 02:01 PM
Where do you get your information? I would like to read the actual bill, but can't find it. There is so much conjecture out there, who really knows what it says? Each side tells a different story.

For instance, I have heard that an army of new IRS agents will fine you and send you to jail for not having insurance. The best information I can get on that is that if, by 2014, you don't have insurance, you will owe a tax penalty of $325 (which goes to $695 by 2016). The IRS will be able to withhold that from your refund. Sounds a lot to me like a power they basically already have.

What else is worse than people say or better than people say? I just can't wait to read the actual bill. Yes, it's 2000 pages (allegedly) but the pages are small and they read fast.

Harry Beanbag
3/21/2010, 02:02 PM
I've heard there is also a fine if your health insurance is too good.

PrideTrombone
3/21/2010, 02:12 PM
Chuck Norris.

JohnnyMack
3/21/2010, 02:20 PM
Would it shock you to know that most of the revenue will be derived from taxing.......the rich? I know, shocker. The money will be used to pay for da poor folks insurance.

You will be mandated to have coverage or face a small fine. Your employer (provided you work for a company that employs more than 50 people) will be required to offer coverage OR pay a $2,000 fine. Gee, I wonder what's more cost effective for a company? $2,000 per employee or a years worth of premiums?

JohnnyMack
3/21/2010, 02:25 PM
It'll get the governments foot in the door a little farther in terms of offering coverage as it expands who qualifies for Medicare, giving Uncle Sam more power to elbow competition out of the way. Ask Walgreen's how doing business with Feds has been going:

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2010/03/walgreens_cuts_off_new_medicai_1.html

salth2o
3/21/2010, 09:26 PM
NvSkeJbQy74

Collier11
3/21/2010, 09:35 PM
nice

soonerinkaty
3/21/2010, 10:38 PM
http://www.csmonitor.com/

They have articles about what is in it.

salth2o
3/21/2010, 10:41 PM
I guess we are about to find out what's in it. Break out the anal lube.

Boarder
3/21/2010, 10:42 PM
Good Summary:


Cost:

* $940 billion over ten years.

Deficit:

*

Would reduce the deficit by $143 billion over the first ten years. That is an updated CBO estimate. Their first preliminary estimate said it would reduce the deficit by $130 billion over ten years. Would reduce the deficit by $1.2 billion dollars in the second ten years.

Read more on the CBO Report

Coverage:

* Would expand coverage to 32 million Americans who are currently uninsured.

Health Insurance Exchanges:

* The uninsured and self-employed would be able to purchase insurance through state-based exchanges with subsidies available to individuals and families with income between the 133 percent and 400 percent of poverty level.
* Separate exchanges would be created for small businesses to purchase coverage -- effective 2014.
* Funding available to states to establish exchanges within one year of enactment and until January 1, 2015.

Subsidies:

* Individuals and families who make between 100 percent - 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) and want to purchase their own health insurance on an exchange are eligible for subsidies. They cannot be eligible for Medicare, Medicaid and cannot be covered by an employer. Eligible buyers receive premium credits and there is a cap for how much they have to contribute to their premiums on a sliding scale.

Federal Poverty Level for family of four is $22,050

Paying for the Plan:

* Medicare Payroll tax on investment income -- Starting in 2012, the Medicare Payroll Tax will be expanded to include unearned income. That will be a 3.8 percent tax on investment income for families making more than $250,000 per year ($200,000 for individuals).
* Excise Tax -- Beginning in 2018, insurance companies will pay a 40 percent excise tax on so-called "Cadillac" high-end insurance plans worth over $27,500 for families ($10,200 for individuals). Dental and vision plans are exempt and will not be counted in the total cost of a family's plan.
* Tanning Tax -- 10 percent excise tax on indoor tanning services.

Medicare:

* Closes the Medicare prescription drug "donut hole" by 2020. Seniors who hit the donut hole by 2010 will receive a $250 rebate.
* Beginning in 2011, seniors in the gap will receive a 50 percent discount on brand name drugs. The bill also includes $500 billion in Medicare cuts over the next decade.

Medicaid:

* Expands Medicaid to include 133 percent of federal poverty level which is $29,327 for a family of four.
* Requires states to expand Medicaid to include childless adults starting in 2014.
* Federal Government pays 100 percent of costs for covering newly eligible individuals through 2016.
* Illegal immigrants are not eligible for Medicaid.

Insurance Reforms:

* Six months after enactment, insurance companies could no longer denying children coverage based on a preexisting condition.
* Starting in 2014, insurance companies cannot deny coverage to anyone with preexisting conditions.
* Insurance companies must allow children to stay on their parent's insurance plans through age 26.

Abortion:

* The bill segregates private insurance premium funds from taxpayer funds. Individuals would have to pay for abortion coverage by making two separate payments, private funds would have to be kept in a separate account from federal and taxpayer funds.
* No health care plan would be required to offer abortion coverage. States could pass legislation choosing to opt out of offering abortion coverage through the exchange.

**Separately, anti-abortion Democrats worked out language with the White House on an executive order that would state that no federal funds can be used to pay for abortions except in the case of rape, incest or health of the mother. (Read more here)

Individual Mandate:

* In 2014, everyone must purchase health insurance or face a $695 annual fine. There are some exceptions for low-income people.

Employer Mandate:

* Technically, there is no employer mandate. Employers with more than 50 employees must provide health insurance or pay a fine of $2000 per worker each year if any worker receives federal subsidies to purchase health insurance. Fines applied to entire number of employees minus some allowances.

Immigration:

* Illegal immigrants will not be allowed to buy health insurance in the exchanges -- even if they pay completely with their own money.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20000846-503544.html

Leroy Lizard
3/21/2010, 10:56 PM
* Illegal immigrants will not be allowed to buy health insurance in the exchanges -- even if they pay completely with their own money.

Will there be such a thing as an illegal immigrant in three years?

47straight
3/22/2010, 04:02 AM
I too wonder where we stand in terms of the excise taxes for really good health plans and whether the unions are still supposed to get a break from it.

But then Obama yelled at that guy for bringing a copy of the bill with him to the summit, so I'll just shut up and go to work.

Sooner in Tampa
3/22/2010, 07:52 AM
Would it shock you to know that most of the revenue will be derived from taxing.......the rich? I know, shocker. The money will be used to pay for da poor folks insurance.

How long is this country going to continue punishing the sucessful people? I mean REALLY, they alread pay the majority of hte taxes...not lets let pay for health care too.

What next? Are they going to subsidize mortgages?

Jeebus

GKeeper316
3/22/2010, 09:05 AM
How long is this country going to continue punishing the sucessful people? I mean REALLY, they alread pay the majority of hte taxes...not lets let pay for health care too.

What next? Are they going to subsidize mortgages?

Jeebus

they pay a higher percentage, but the majority of all tax revenue is from the middle class, just because there's so much more of them than the rich.

mortgages have been subsidized since the end of ww2.

Bourbon St Sooner
3/22/2010, 09:57 AM
From what I understand, half the funding of this bill comes from "eliminating waste and fraud" in Medicare. I believe the gov't is going to cut waste and fraud like I believe I'm going to get rich by robbing the tooth fairy.

Oh, and 14,000 more IRS agents. Yippee! Pretty soon we'll all be working (or pretending to work) for the gov't.

OklahomaTuba
3/22/2010, 10:08 AM
Yippee! Pretty soon we'll all be working (or pretending to work) for the gov't.
Well, if you work in the auto industry, the financial industry, the insurance industry and now the health care industry....YOU DO!

This is the biggest single takeover in American history.

Dio
3/22/2010, 12:27 PM
Will there be such a thing as an illegal immigrant in three years?

Maybe we should all become illegal immigrants? Renounce citizenship, move to mexico, then wade back across and pay our own healthcare, not pay taxes, etc. Of course, then you'd have to live in S. OKC and go to Crossroads every weekend...