Health Care

[LeighaMason 19]

Companies like AT&T, John Deere, MedTronic, AK Steel, 3M,

Caterpillar, and Valero Energy have already counted the

cost to their bottom line for the upcoming year - and

the effects are staggering. Of course, American citizens

will ultimately pay the price for these rising costs.

The reason nobody responded to this is because it is misleading, once again the companies are claiming a NON CASH charge, so basically this is removing a deduction from the tax return, so they are having to pay taxes.

AT&T said Friday that the charge reflects changes to how Medicare subsidies are taxed. Companies say the health care overhaul will require them to start paying taxes next year on a subsidy they receive for retiree drug coverage.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Thursday that the tax law closed a loophole.

Under the 2003 Medicare prescription drug program, companies that provide prescription drug benefits for retirees have been able to receive subsidies covering 28 percent of eligible costs. But they could deduct the entire amount they spent on these drug benefits – including the subsidies – from their taxable income.

The new law allows companies to only deduct the 72 percent they spent.

So this means in the past they were allowed to deduct more than they spent, on drug benefits.

Edited April 1, 2010 by LeighaMason

[pattygreen 5]

The reason nobody responded to this is because it is misleading, once again the companies are claiming a NON CASH charge, so basically this is removing a deduction from the tax return, so they are having to pay taxes.

AT&T said Friday that the charge reflects changes to how Medicare subsidies are taxed. Companies say the health care overhaul will require them to start paying taxes next year on a subsidy they receive for retiree drug coverage.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Thursday that the tax law closed a loophole.

Under the 2003 Medicare prescription drug program, companies that provide prescription drug benefits for retirees have been able to receive subsidies covering 28 percent of eligible costs. But they could deduct the entire amount they spent on these drug benefits – including the subsidies – from their taxable income.

The new law allows companies to only deduct the 72 percent they spent.

So this means in the past they were allowed to deduct more than they spent, on drug benefits.

When companies have to pay out more (such as more tax) they pass the expense in the way of higher prices down to the consumer. Period. They WILL still make their profit. It is YOU and I who will pay that tax for them in the way of higher cost of living.

[LeighaMason 19]

When companies have to pay out more (such as more tax) they pass the expense in the way of higher prices down to the consumer. Period. They WILL still make their profit. It is YOU and I who will pay that tax for them in the way of higher cost of living.

So my cell phone bill goes up $5 and I get health care, OK I can live with that.

[pattygreen 5]

So my cell phone bill goes up $5 and I get health care, OK I can live with that.

Get real! Not just your cell phone. Everything!

[pattygreen 5]

So my cell phone bill goes up $5 and I get health care, OK I can live with that.

Do you mind telling me how you get HC for free with this bill?

[Cleo's Mom 257]

Do you mind telling me how you get HC for free with this bill?

Show me anywhere where someone said you would get healthcare for free with this bill. Yes, the qualifications for medicaid will be such that more will qualify, but other than that, I have not heard anyone promote this HC bill as providing free healthcare. You will still have to pay premiums to purchase healthcare insurance, but if your income is such that you qualify, there will be a government subsidy.

Just like there will be a 35% tax credit (rising to 50% in 2014) to small businesses to help them pay for healthcare for their employees.

Edited April 2, 2010 by Cleo's Mom

[LeighaMason 19]

Do you mind telling me how you get HC for free with this bill?

I said "So my cell phone bill goes up $5 and I get health care, OK I can live with that."

Nobody said I get it free, you added that in, that is what you do. I implied that I get the opportunity to buy it. I will say it again since you obviously missed it, before the new law, NOT EVERYONE WAS ELIGIBLE TO BUY HEALTH CARE THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO COULD NOT BUY IT AT ANY PRICE!

[LeighaMason 19]

Oh and by the way, my ex husbands company will be one of those who will see his cost of doing business go down because he already pays health care for his employees so he will get a 35% subsidy that rises to 50% in 2014. This is a huge amount of money for him and he is now planning on hiring new employees.

[pattygreen 5]

Oh and by the way, my ex husbands company will be one of those who will see his cost of doing business go down because he already pays health care for his employees so he will get a 35% subsidy that rises to 50% in 2014. This is a huge amount of money for him and he is now planning on hiring new employees.

Where does that money come from?

[Cleo's Mom 257]

Where does that money come from?

Will you please write this down somewhere so I don't have to keep repeating it. :thumbup:

The tax on cadillac healthcare plans and the elimination of $500 billion in waste, fraud and overpayment to doctors (some get 150% of costs) in Medicare.

[LeighaMason 19]

Where does that money come from?

You hire new employees and you pay them, then they pay taxes. The more people who are working means more people who are paying money into the system and the less money that is needed to fund those "entitlement" programs you hate so much.

[BJean 16]

There are much better informed minds than ours who are debating this very issue. I think we can go back and forth on this until the world looks level and still won't come up with a definitive answer.

It's going to take time and work for these things to reveal what they're actually going to mean in the long run. It's a guessing game to some extent on both sides.

You're always going to bellyache about the government and nothing anyone here says will change that or cause one iota of reconsideration on your part as to the value of passing the health care reform legislation. Your heels are dug in and that's that.

Edited April 1, 2010 by BJean

[pattygreen 5]

There are much better informed minds than ours who are debating this very issue. I think we can go back and forth on this until the world looks level and still won't come up with a definitive answer.

It's going to take time and work for these things to reveal what they're actually going to mean in the long run. It's a guessing game to some extent on both sides.

You're always going to bellyache about the government and nothing anyone here says will change that or cause one iota of reconsideration on your part as to the value of passing the health care reform legislation. Your heels are dug in and that's that.[/QUOTE]

As our yours.

[BJean 16]

Well no not really. I'm willing to listen to reason and truth. I actually learn a lot from honest debate. Ive always enjoyed hearing the opposing side of arguments because it helps me to understand where they're coming from.

But I'm not willing to listen to and believe rethoric and misstatements and misrepresentations of the facts. I'm not willing to give equal time to crazed nuts who have been inspired to work themselves into a frenzy.

(and I think you meant to say "as ARE yours"

[pattygreen 5]

The Liberal Hypocrisy Over Health Care Reform

I find the hypocrisy vested in the Liberals demands for the passage of Health Care Reform extraordinarily dumbfounding.

It wasn't that long ago when the very same Liberals were fighting for "Roe vs Wade", a woman's right to an abortion. The liberals, at that time, successfully argued that the government had absolutely NO RIGHT to interfere with that of a woman's right to an abortion. It was her body and her RIGHT to choose or decide, Not that of the governments. Since that time Liberals seem to have lost their direction and have done a complete 180 degree turnaround. Today, these very same left wing idealist now insist that government indeed has the right to dictate and decide for the American people what they CAN and CANNOT do with their own body when it comes to Health Care. They can't have it both ways!

This only goes to prove that liberal views are primarily based in unrealistic, unattainable hopes and dreams rather than in reality and common sense. Unfortunately, our government over the past forty years has promulgated this unrealistic thought process through the creation of entitlement and welfare programs and its progressive ideals that only lead to greater government control and power over the American people.(American reform party)