BuSh and your medical insurance...

[GeezerSue 7]

NOW he wants us to pay income tax on our employer-provided medical benefits. Smooth Move, Dubya.

The proposal will include:

-- A standard deduction for health insurance

-- singles with health insurance will not pay income or payroll taxes on the first $7,500

-- Families with health insurance will not pay income or payroll taxes on the first $15,500

-- Health insurance should be considered taxable income, including those who currently have health insurance through their employment

The result, says Bush, will be that 80% of people with health cover will pay less tax.

So, before I retired, I had insurance that, when I converted to COBRA and had to pay it myself, cost me about $750/month. (And that was five years ago, so we know it's gone up.) That means that the folks I was working with would now be paying income tax on another $1500/year with no increase of any kind in any benefits.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/healthnews.php?newsid=61278

[Carlene 12]

And let us not forget that Bush has promised to veto the bill that would require Medicare Part D providers to negotiate the best price for meds, much as the VA does. If it's good enough for the Veterans, why isn't it good enough for everyone else?

[GeezerSue 7]

We Vets have somewhat mouthier lobbyists.