Heard on the news that the states don't have to expand Medicaid benefits and that will throw all the extremely poor back on the Federal Government to pay for them and that will raise the cost of the Health-Care mandate by a few hundred billion dollars.
Fox's Bill O'Reilly said he'd "apologize for being an idiot" if the Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act. We're Waiting Bill...
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
While Americans may not like “Obamacare” — and the political process of passing it — they do support its major provisions and are likely to resist any effort by Republicans to take away their benefits. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found that while 56 percent of Americans oppose the law as a whole, ~ 61 percent of respondents favored allowing young adults to stay on their parents’ insurance plans until age 26, ~ 72 percent wish to maintain the requirement that companies with more than 50 workers provide health insurance for their employees, ~ and 82 percent of respondents favored banning insurance companies from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions.
As more benefits roll out in 2014, it will be increasingly difficult for Republicans to argue for their repeal.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
Hey stupid....Guess what? The USSC ruled that the 'individual mandate' is a tax....So, in effect, Obama just levied the US with the largest tax hike in world history.
The GOP Propaganda... "Obama just levied the US with the largest tax hike in world history"
The FACTS: The mandate can indeed be characterized as a tax, as the Court found. But it is not a massive tax hike on the middle class, much less the biggest tax hike in American history. The tax imposed by the individual mandate amounts to either $695 or 2.5 percent of household income for those who don’t have insurance and are not exempt based on income levels.
By comparison, the payroll tax cut extension Republicans repeatedly blocked earlier this year would have added 3.1 percentage points to the tax and cost the average family $1,500 a year.
The mandate, meanwhile, would hit a small amount of Americans — somewhere between 2 and 5 percent — according to a study from the Urban Institute. The number could be even lower depending on the law’s success: in Massachusetts, the only state with an insurance mandate, less than 1 percent of the state’s residents paid the penalty in 2009.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
Comprehensive List of Tax Hikes in Obamacare [Printable PDF version] Next week, the U.S. House of Representatives will be voting on an historic repeal of the Obamacare law. While there are many reasons to oppose this flawed government health insurance law, it is important to remember that Obamacare is also one of the largest tax increases in American history. Below is a comprehensive list of the two dozen new or higher taxes that pay for Obamcare’s expansion of government spending and interference between doctors and patients. Individual Mandate Excise Tax(Jan 2014): Starting in 2014, anyone not buying “qualifying” health insurance must pay an income surtax according to the higher of the following
1 Adult 2 Adults 3+ Adults 2014 1% AGI/$95 1% AGI/$190 1% AGI/$285 2015 2% AGI/$325 2% AGI/$650 2% AGI/$975 2016 + 2.5% AGI/$695 2.5% AGI/$1390 2.5% AGI/$2085 Exemptions for religious objectors, undocumented immigrants, prisoners, those earning less than the poverty line, members of Indian tribes, and hardship cases (determined by HHS) Employer Mandate Tax(Jan 2014): If an employer does not offer health coverage, and at least one employee qualifies for a health tax credit, the employer must pay an additional non-deductible tax of $2000 for all full-time employees. This provision applies to all employers with 50 or more employees. If any employee actually receives coverage through the exchange, the penalty on the employer for that employee rises to $3000. If the employer requires a waiting period to enroll in coverage of 30-60 days, there is a $400 tax per employee ($600 if the period is 60 days or longer). Combined score of individual and employer mandate tax penalty: $65 billion/10 years Surtax on Investment Income ($123 billion/Jan. 2013): This increase involves the creation of a new, 3.8 percent surtax on investment income earned in households making at least $250,000 ($200,000 single). This would result in the following top tax rates on investment income Capital Gains Dividends Other* 2010-2012 15% 15% 35% 2013+ (current law) 23.8% 43.4% 43.4% 2013+ (Obama budget) 23.8% 23.8% 43.4%
*Other unearned income includes (for surtax purposes) gross income from interest, annuities, royalties, net rents, and passive income in partnerships and Subchapter-S corporations. It does not include municipal bond interest or life insurance proceeds, since those do not add to gross income. It does not include active trade or business income, fair market value sales of ownership in pass-through entities, or distributions from retirement plans. The 3.8% surtax does not apply to non-resident aliens.Excise Tax on Comprehensive Health Insurance Plans($32 bil/Jan 201: Starting in 2018, new 40 percent excise tax on “Cadillac” health insurance plans ($10,200 single/$27,500 family). For early retirees and high-risk professions exists a higher threshold ($11,500 single/$29,450 family). CPI +1 percentage point indexed.Hike in Medicare Payroll Tax($86.8 bil/Jan 2013): Current law and changes:
First $200,000 ($250,000 Married) Employer/Employee All Remaining Wages Employer/Employee Current Law 1.45%/1.45% 2.9% self-employed 1.45%/1.45% 2.9% self-employed Obamacare Tax Hike 1.45%/1.45% 2.9% self-employed 1.45%/2.35% 3.8% self-employed Medicine Cabinet Tax($5 bil/Jan 2011): Americans no longer able to use health savings account (HSA), flexible spending account (FSA), or health reimbursement (HRA) pre-tax dollars to purchase non-prescription, over-the-counter medicines (except insulin)HSA Withdrawal Tax Hike($1.4 bil/Jan 2011): Increases additional tax on non-medical early withdrawals from an HSA from 10 to 20 percent, disadvantaging them relative to IRAs and other tax-advantaged accounts, which remain at 10 percent. Flexible Spending Account Cap – aka“Special Needs Kids Tax”($13 bil/Jan 2013): Imposes cap of $2500 (Indexed to inflation after 2013) on FSAs (now unlimited). . There is one group of FSA owners for whom this new cap will be particularly cruel and onerous: parents of special needs children. There are thousands of families with special needs children in the United States, and many of them use FSAs to pay for special needs education. Tuition rates at one leading school that teaches special needs children in Washington, D.C. (National Child Research Center) can easily exceed $14,000 per year. Under tax rules, FSA dollars can be used to pay for this type of special needs education. Tax on Medical Device Manufacturers($20 bil/Jan 2013): Medical device manufacturers employ 360,000 people in 6000 plants across the country. This law imposes a new 2.3% excise tax. Exemptions include items retailing for less than $100. Raise "Haircut" for Medical Itemized Deduction from 7.5% to 10% of AGI($15.2 bil/Jan 2013): Currently, those facing high medical expenses are allowed a deduction for medical expenses to the extent that those expenses exceed 7.5 percent of adjusted gross income (AGI). The new provision imposes a threshold of 10 percent of AGI; it is waived for 65+ taxpayers in 2013-2016 only. Tax on Indoor Tanning Services($2.7 billion/July 1, 2010): New 10 percent excise tax on Americans using indoor tanning salons Elimination of tax deduction for employer-provided retirement Rx drug coverage in coordination with Medicare Part D($4.5 bil/Jan 2013) Blue Cross/Blue Shield Tax Hike($0.4 bil/Jan 2010): The special tax deduction in current law for Blue Cross/Blue Shield companies would only be allowed if 85 percent or more of premium revenues are spent on clinical services Excise Tax on Charitable Hospitals(Min$/immediate): $50,000 per hospital if they fail to meet new "community health assessment needs," "financial assistance," and "billing and collection" rules set by HHS Tax on Innovator Drug Companies($22.2 bil/Jan 2010): $2.3 billion annual tax on the industry imposed relative to share of sales made that year. Tax on Health Insurers($60.1 bil/Jan 2014): Annual tax on the industry imposed relative to health insurance premiums collected that year. The stipulation phases in gradually until 2018, and is fully-imposed on firms with $50 million in profits. $500,000 Annual Executive Compensation Limit for Health Insurance Executives($0.6 bil/Jan 2013) Employer Reporting of Insurance on W-2(Min$/Jan 2011): Preamble to taxing health benefits on individual tax returns. Corporate 1099-MISC Information Reporting($17.1 bil/Jan 2012): Requires businesses to send 1099-MISC information tax forms to corporations (currently limited to individuals), a huge compliance burden for small employers “Black liquor” tax hike(Tax hike of $23.6 billion). This is a tax increase on a type of bio-fuel. Codification of the “economic substance doctrine”(Tax hike of $4.5 billion). This provision allows the IRS to disallow completely-legal tax deductions and other legal tax-minimizing plans just because the IRS deems that the action lacks “substance” and is merely intended to reduce taxes owed.
I'm not surprised this passed, first off insurance companies money is all over this as requiring everyone to buy is a financial dream for them. They pretend to be against it, but they clearly aren't . Also look at the two presidential candidates, Romney created this healthcare and Obama put it nationwide. Did you really think the court would go against big business? Anyways I personally could care less, this plan sucks, but what we were doing before also sucked and the republicans alternatives also sucked.
Comprehensive List of Tax Hikes in Obamacare [Printable PDF version] Next week, the U.S. House of Representatives will be voting on an historic repeal of the Obamacare law. While there are many reasons to oppose this flawed government health insurance law, it is important to remember that Obamacare is also one of the largest tax increases in American history. Below is a comprehensive list of the two dozen new or higher taxes that pay for Obamcare’s expansion of government spending and interference between doctors and patients. Individual Mandate Excise Tax(Jan 2014): Starting in 2014, anyone not buying “qualifying” health insurance must pay an income surtax according to the higher of the following
1 Adult 2 Adults 3+ Adults 2014 1% AGI/$95 1% AGI/$190 1% AGI/$285 2015 2% AGI/$325 2% AGI/$650 2% AGI/$975 2016 + 2.5% AGI/$695 2.5% AGI/$1390 2.5% AGI/$2085 Exemptions for religious objectors, undocumented immigrants, prisoners, those earning less than the poverty line, members of Indian tribes, and hardship cases (determined by HHS) Employer Mandate Tax(Jan 2014): If an employer does not offer health coverage, and at least one employee qualifies for a health tax credit, the employer must pay an additional non-deductible tax of $2000 for all full-time employees. This provision applies to all employers with 50 or more employees. If any employee actually receives coverage through the exchange, the penalty on the employer for that employee rises to $3000. If the employer requires a waiting period to enroll in coverage of 30-60 days, there is a $400 tax per employee ($600 if the period is 60 days or longer). Combined score of individual and employer mandate tax penalty: $65 billion/10 years Surtax on Investment Income ($123 billion/Jan. 2013): This increase involves the creation of a new, 3.8 percent surtax on investment income earned in households making at least $250,000 ($200,000 single). This would result in the following top tax rates on investment income Capital Gains Dividends Other* 2010-2012 15% 15% 35% 2013+ (current law) 23.8% 43.4% 43.4% 2013+ (Obama budget) 23.8% 23.8% 43.4%
*Other unearned income includes (for surtax purposes) gross income from interest, annuities, royalties, net rents, and passive income in partnerships and Subchapter-S corporations. It does not include municipal bond interest or life insurance proceeds, since those do not add to gross income. It does not include active trade or business income, fair market value sales of ownership in pass-through entities, or distributions from retirement plans. The 3.8% surtax does not apply to non-resident aliens.Excise Tax on Comprehensive Health Insurance Plans($32 bil/Jan 201: Starting in 2018, new 40 percent excise tax on “Cadillac” health insurance plans ($10,200 single/$27,500 family). For early retirees and high-risk professions exists a higher threshold ($11,500 single/$29,450 family). CPI +1 percentage point indexed.Hike in Medicare Payroll Tax($86.8 bil/Jan 2013): Current law and changes:
First $200,000 ($250,000 Married) Employer/Employee All Remaining Wages Employer/Employee Current Law 1.45%/1.45% 2.9% self-employed 1.45%/1.45% 2.9% self-employed Obamacare Tax Hike 1.45%/1.45% 2.9% self-employed 1.45%/2.35% 3.8% self-employed Medicine Cabinet Tax($5 bil/Jan 2011): Americans no longer able to use health savings account (HSA), flexible spending account (FSA), or health reimbursement (HRA) pre-tax dollars to purchase non-prescription, over-the-counter medicines (except insulin)HSA Withdrawal Tax Hike($1.4 bil/Jan 2011): Increases additional tax on non-medical early withdrawals from an HSA from 10 to 20 percent, disadvantaging them relative to IRAs and other tax-advantaged accounts, which remain at 10 percent. Flexible Spending Account Cap – aka“Special Needs Kids Tax”($13 bil/Jan 2013): Imposes cap of $2500 (Indexed to inflation after 2013) on FSAs (now unlimited). . There is one group of FSA owners for whom this new cap will be particularly cruel and onerous: parents of special needs children. There are thousands of families with special needs children in the United States, and many of them use FSAs to pay for special needs education. Tuition rates at one leading school that teaches special needs children in Washington, D.C. (National Child Research Center) can easily exceed $14,000 per year. Under tax rules, FSA dollars can be used to pay for this type of special needs education. Tax on Medical Device Manufacturers($20 bil/Jan 2013): Medical device manufacturers employ 360,000 people in 6000 plants across the country. This law imposes a new 2.3% excise tax. Exemptions include items retailing for less than $100. Raise "Haircut" for Medical Itemized Deduction from 7.5% to 10% of AGI($15.2 bil/Jan 2013): Currently, those facing high medical expenses are allowed a deduction for medical expenses to the extent that those expenses exceed 7.5 percent of adjusted gross income (AGI). The new provision imposes a threshold of 10 percent of AGI; it is waived for 65+ taxpayers in 2013-2016 only. Tax on Indoor Tanning Services($2.7 billion/July 1, 2010): New 10 percent excise tax on Americans using indoor tanning salons Elimination of tax deduction for employer-provided retirement Rx drug coverage in coordination with Medicare Part D($4.5 bil/Jan 2013) Blue Cross/Blue Shield Tax Hike($0.4 bil/Jan 2010): The special tax deduction in current law for Blue Cross/Blue Shield companies would only be allowed if 85 percent or more of premium revenues are spent on clinical services Excise Tax on Charitable Hospitals(Min$/immediate): $50,000 per hospital if they fail to meet new "community health assessment needs," "financial assistance," and "billing and collection" rules set by HHS Tax on Innovator Drug Companies($22.2 bil/Jan 2010): $2.3 billion annual tax on the industry imposed relative to share of sales made that year. Tax on Health Insurers($60.1 bil/Jan 2014): Annual tax on the industry imposed relative to health insurance premiums collected that year. The stipulation phases in gradually until 2018, and is fully-imposed on firms with $50 million in profits. $500,000 Annual Executive Compensation Limit for Health Insurance Executives($0.6 bil/Jan 2013) Employer Reporting of Insurance on W-2(Min$/Jan 2011): Preamble to taxing health benefits on individual tax returns. Corporate 1099-MISC Information Reporting($17.1 bil/Jan 2012): Requires businesses to send 1099-MISC information tax forms to corporations (currently limited to individuals), a huge compliance burden for small employers “Black liquor” tax hike(Tax hike of $23.6 billion). This is a tax increase on a type of bio-fuel. Codification of the “economic substance doctrine”(Tax hike of $4.5 billion). This provision allows the IRS to disallow completely-legal tax deductions and other legal tax-minimizing plans just because the IRS deems that the action lacks “substance” and is merely intended to reduce taxes owed.
And A Partridge In A Pear Tree
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
10 Things America gained in the Supreme Court Obamacare vote:
1) Access to health insurance for 30 million Americans and lower premiums. 2) The ability of businesses and individuals to purchase comprehensive coverage from a regulated marketplace. 3) Insurers’ inability to discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions. 4) Tax credits for small businesses that offer insurance. 5) Assistance for businesses that provide health benefits to early retirees. 6) Affordable health care for lower-income Americans. 7) Investments in women’s health. 8) Young adults’ ability to stay on their parents’ health care plans. 9) Discounts for seniors on brand-name drugs. 10) Temporary coverage for the sickest Americans.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
10 Things America gained in the Supreme Court Obamacare vote:
1) Access to health insurance for 30 million Americans and lower premiums. 2) The ability of businesses and individuals to purchase comprehensive coverage from a regulated marketplace. 3) Insurers’ inability to discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions. 4) Tax credits for small businesses that offer insurance. 5) Assistance for businesses that provide health benefits to early retirees. 6) Affordable health care for lower-income Americans. 7) Investments in women’s health. 8) Young adults’ ability to stay on their parents’ health care plans. 9) Discounts for seniors on brand-name drugs. 10) Temporary coverage for the sickest Americans.
The one thing the court did strike down is the plan to hold existing medicare funding to states hostage if they dont expand medicare...the poor states have already said they cant afford it. That leaves the working poor uninsured, unless the feds picks it up, to a tune of an extra 250 billion.
"Arguing with liberals is like playing chess with a pigeon; no matter how good I am at chess, the pigeon is just going to knock out the pieces, crap on the board, and strut around like it is victorious." - Author Unknown
I just heard -- according to a Constitutional lawyer being interviewed by a conservative talk show host -- that the Supreme Court may have actually made it easier to repeal all of the Affordable Care Act. By upholding it as a tax --- it will only need a MAJORITY vote in the US Senate to be repealed (It would not need the 60 votes to end debate like all other non-tax legislation requires.)
My opinion is that the Republicans will still control the House come January 2013 and thus would only need to gain/pick-up 4 Senate seats to get a majority in the US Senate.
I have not read the Supreme Court decision and must admit to being at least puzzled by the "fancy footwork" employed to say if it was just a matter of the commerce clause it would be unconstitutional but because it is a tax it is constitutional. This raises the question -- if a president were to propose and Congress approve legislation mandating that all Americans must purchase a electric car (or solar panels or insert whatever product that might choose) or be forced to pay a penalty (or as Robert's says a tax) --- would that be constitutional according to Chief Justice Robert's opinion?
I still believe today as I have always believed that health insurance and health care is a state matter -- and should have been left to the states. The only provision that I believe really was a federal matter -- was the portability of health insurance -- and that I do support.
George Amedore & Christian Klueg for NYS Senate 2016 Pete Vroman for State Assembly 2016[/size][/color]
"For this is what America is all about. It is the uncrossed desert and the unclimbed ridge. It is the star that is not reached and the harvest that is sleeping in the unplowed ground." Lyndon Baines Johnson
I still believe today as I have always believed that health insurance and health care is a state matter -- and should have been left to the states. The only provision that I believe really was a federal matter -- was the portability of health insurance -- and that I do support.
Whether it's federal or state matter, you are jumping for joy. YOU the BIG GOVERNMENT person, have the government fund everything. It's one thing for the government plow our roads and protect us in times of (military) conflicts, but you want government theaters, government hotels, government bakeries, government appliance stores.
It's obvious you are JUMPING FOR JOY because finally you can get health coverage. Oh, wait, you have no job, that qualifies you for welfare and what else? Government health care -- paid for by ME and all the other people who work.
Get off your duff and get a job before your butt gets bigger
Optimists close their eyes and pretend problems are non existent. Better to have open eyes, see the truths, acknowledge the negatives, and speak up for the people rather than the politicos and their rich cronies.
Why do polls show Americans against Obmacare... even though polls show that Americans in favor of most of Obamacare's policy?
The answer, Propaganda works:
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
"In the beginning of a change, the Patriot is a scarce man, brave, hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a Patriot."
Supreme Court Health Care: Obama Wins The Battle, Prepares For The War Posted: 06/28/2012 7:00 pm Updated: 06/29/2012 3:55 am
WASHINGTON -- Three years after Democrats began crafting health care reform, nearly 18 months after the president signed it into law, and eight months since the Supreme Court agreed to hear a challenge to its constitutionality, proponents of the Affordable Care Act can finally exhale. The law is constitutional, the court ruled in a Thursday session that supplied all the nervous anticipation of an actual election.
But while the law's mandate may pass legal muster, it remains unpopular. And as part of the decision to uphold the law, Chief Justice John Roberts may have made it even more toxic, determining that it was a tax. Policy experts said they remain concerned about components of the legislation, including looming cuts in Medicare payments to hospitals and other providers, while Democrats have exhibited general wariness with championing it on the campaign stump.
Democrats won today's battle, but the war over health care remains unsettled.
"I'm politically glad," said Howard Dean, the former Democratic National Committee chairman. "I think the fact that the Supreme Court legitimized it and the charge was led by John Roberts makes it much harder for Republicans. I feel like it would be hard to run around and scream about socialism when John Roberts voted for the bill.
"But we have got a lot of work ahead of us," Dean added. "We better make this work. It is the slow boat to China. What has happened here is we have basically cemented the future of health care reform into the private sector. That can be perilous. There is a lot of cost-control that has to be done."...............................>>>>....................>>>>....................................http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/28/supreme-court-health-care-obama_n_1635755.html
Michael Savage Links Justice John Roberts' Epilepsy Medication To Obamacare Ruling By Benjamin Hart Posted: 06/28/2012 8:44 pm Updated: 06/29/2012 12:11 am
Conservative firebrand Michael Savage is not known to mince words--one of his favorite adjectives is "Islamofacist," and in 2009 he was banned from entering the United Kingdom on grounds of extremism.
But on Thursday, the popular radio talk show host's outspokenness veered into particularly strange territory when he suggested that Chief Justice John Roberts' epilepsy medication was responsible for his decision to uphold President Obama's health care law.
"Let's talk about Roberts," Savage said. "I'm going to tell you something that you're not gonna hear anywhere else, that you must pay attention to. It's well known that Roberts, unfortunately for him, has suffered from epileptic seizures. Therefore he has been on medication. Therefore neurologists will tell you that medication used for seizure disorders, such as epilepsy, can introduce mental slowing, forgetfulness and other cognitive problems. And if you look at Roberts' writings you can see the cognitive disassociation (sic) in what he is saying...".......................>>>>......................>>>>..............http://www.huffingtonpost.com/.....ation_n_1636092.html
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