Defending the Truth

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From the article:

"Tax breaks would encourage people to buy cheaper plans

The key to getting a tax cut will be to keep the cost of the policy below the size of the new deduction. The prospect of a tax cut would serve as a huge incentive for people to spend less on health insurance."


No no no no no!!!

The only people this would benefit is the INSURANCE COMPANIES.

I've thought about it some more... think about it.... it'll encourage people to buy cheaper plans that provide less coverage. Meanwhile, if get your health insurance from work, and the cost of the plan is going to be taxed as income, you might as well get a plan on your own, right? That would cost more than if you could negotiate a group rate like your employer does. AND if you couldn't afford health insurance before, a tax break sure isn't going to help with that!!! $4500 individual doesn't even cover the cost of health insurance for one person for a year!!!!

No, you're only reading what you WANT to read of the article.

He's proposing a deduction for what people spend on health insurance.


This is a GOOD thing!

No, believe me, i read the whole thing, very carefully.
Here's more:

"Democratic leaders were quick to criticize the plan. But more recently, a group of 10 senators -- five Republicans and five Democrats -- wrote the president and told him they agreed that current tax rules for health insurance disproportionately favor the rich while promoting inefficiency.
Bush went to Chattanooga, Tennessee, earlier this week to try to generate momentum for his tax proposal. He shared a stage with people who hold full-time jobs but cannot afford to insure their families. For Danny Jennings, a father of two who manages a nursery, the plan would save about $4,500 a year on his tax bill, Bush said.
"These tax savings would put basic coverage within the reach of his family," Bush said."



First off, I'm not clear on how "current tax rules for health insurance favor the rich while promoting inefficiency." You either get your health insurance from work, from the government (Medicare) or you get it on your own.

If I get my insurance from the government, I get one plan, unless I opt for Part B, in which case the coverage is still pretty standard. If i get it through work, I get a group plan where the group gets a couple of standard health plans to choose from. If I bought it on my own... who knows? I could get anything. And even the cheapest plan could cost maybe $700/mo for individual coverage. Do the math... that's $8,400/year. And that $4,500 is not a REBATE... it is a DEDUCTION. Either way, doesn't cover your health care cost for an entire year.




And yeah, Bush is 100% correct... that man he gives as an example DOES save $4,500 off his TAX BILL, not off his health insruance. He's still paying for that post-tax!

That's kind of the point.

It is NOT free health insurance. It gives people a deduction for the money they spend on insurance premiums. And that's a good thing.


CNN basically mis-labeled this thread, which is not a surprise. It's about tax breaks, not free health insurance.

So while people are out of of pocket buckoo bucks for a year the insurance companies get to collect interest on that money. It is a freebie for the insurance companies financied by the government. More money for the rich while the poor get screwed.

You're an idiot Winston.

Rather than just spouting off the same old Liberal Tripe, why not read the article, THINK, figure out what it says, and respond with something of intelligence? Why not try that AT LEAST ONCE?


How, exactly, does getting a tax deduction for insurance premiums paid, help the rich while screwing the poor?

Please answer with something of substance.