Debunk please

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Wounded Warriors Face New Tax This Independence Day

Senate Democrats Tax Prosthetic Limbs and Other Vital Medical Devices, Refuse to Exempt Veterans

WASHINGTON, July 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As the nation prepares to celebrate Independence Day with parades and barbecues, America's veterans face a new tax on prosthetic limbs and other vital medical devices.

The health care overhaul passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama earlier this year contains a new tax on medical devices such as prosthetic limbs, pacemakers, and wheelchairs. This tax, which its proponents claim will raise $20 billion over the next ten years, contains no exemption for the nation's 22 million veterans. In fact, Senate Democrats specifically refused to exempt veterans from the tax.

On March 24 2010, Senate Democrats rejected an amendment offered by Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) to the healthcare bill. This amendment (SA 3644) would have prevented the medical device tax from hitting veterans covered by the Veterans Healthcare Program or TRICARE for Life. This amendment was rejected by a vote of 44-54. All but five Democrat senators voted in favor of retaining the tax for veterans.

The medical device tax was one of over twenty new or higher taxes in President Barack Obama's healthcare overhaul. This permanent new tax is being collected now.

"On March 24, Senate Democrats had the opportunity to exempt our veterans from Obamacare's new tax on medical devices such as prosthetic limbs. But 54 Democrats voted against the measure. They chose to side with the tax-and-spend crowd in Washington over our wounded warriors," said Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform. "This is one of the many reasons Harry Reid and the Democrats did not want Americans to read the 2,500 page health care bill before it was passed."
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wounded-warriors-face-new-tax-this-independence-day-97680944.html

[EC]

1. How is this tax assessed?

On the manufacturer or the buyer as a sales tax?

[bbinacan]

2. Doesn't matter.

One way or another, vets will pay for it.

[EC]

3. I never noticed on bills rather the insurance pays the tax

on them or not...but if the insurance pays full cost (including tax) the vet wouldn't pay it, the insurance (vets admin) would be paying it...I do know that when my mom got her wheelchair the insurance paid full cost, so rather it was taxed (sales tax) or not I don't know....


The same if the tax is defrayed by increased cost of appliance by the manufacturer if they are the ones being taxed, so I'm thinking no, the vet wouldn't be paying for it, we will be with taxes, since our taxes pay for medical care for vets...

[bbinacan]

4. Good point. n/t

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5. How Affordable Care Act Helps Veterans

AN FREEPER E-TURD FLOATING AROUND

Quote:

Looks like soldiers wounded in battle are not specifcally exempt from paying taxes on treatments, prosthetics, etc. hopefully though... the flood of illegals is thoroughly covered!
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/...y-97680944.html
Text

It is really ashamed that people are using fear, lies, and hate tactics, to try to promote there political ideology on the backs of AMERICAN FINEST VETERANS.

How Affordable Care Act Helps Veterans
The health care debate featured no shortage of rumors designed to misinform the American people about the Affordable Care Act. And while the debate has ended and implementation of the new law has begun, the rumor mill hasn’t slowed down. The latest rumor is the unfounded charge that “America's wounded warriors face a new tax on prosthetic limbs and other vital medical devices.” Nothing could be further from the truth. While the new law includes a tax on big medical device manufacturers, the tax won’t be passed on to veterans and wounded active duty military personnel and veterans will continue to receive prosthetic devices at no cost from the VA and TRICARE.

Here’s the truth behind the latest unfounded claim:
Today, wounded veterans and active duty military receive prosthetic devices from the VA or TRICARE at no cost. That won’t change under the Affordable Care Act. We know medical device manufacturers will prosper under the new law -- the Affordable Care Act expands health insurance coverage to more than 30 million Americans and these newly insured individuals will use products made by the medical device industry. This is already a large and profitable business; sales in the medical device industry even before the Act takes effect are estimated to be $138 billion for 2010. The new tax applies to this industry and will help ensure we provide more Americans with affordable coverage choices. This is not a tax on consumers and claims that the tax will result in higher prices for prosthetics or other medical devices are wrong. Prices and reimbursements for medical devices will continue to be negotiated between the device industry and insurance companies, retail establishments, and the federal government, in the case of veterans and active duty service members. And the full cost of prosthetics for veterans will continue to be borne by the government.
The Affordable Care Act builds upon the Obama Administration’s commitment to caring for veterans and active duty military ensuring they have the highest quality health care possible. The Obama Administration has already provided a historic increase for veterans’ health care. The President’s Budget expands access to VA health care to an additional 500,000 veterans who were previously denied coverage and helps improves medical care services for veterans in rural areas. The Budget also supports wounded warrior transition units and centers of excellence in vision and other areas to continuously improve care provided to wounded, ill, and injured service members. Additionally, the Affordable Care Act gives veterans and all Americans greater choice of health plan and increases competition in the health care marketplace. Veterans can still enroll in the VA and in 2014, they’ll have the option of VA health care or choosing an insurance plans through the new health insurance exchanges.

Passage of the Affordable Care Act only builds upon the President’s commitment to those who served our country proudly.

Darienne M. Page is a Veterans Outreach Assistant
2010-07-07
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/07/07/how-affordable-care-act-helps-veterans

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6. Health Reform, Your Taxes and the Rumor Mill

AN FREEPER E-TURD FLOATING AROUND

Starting in 2011, (next year folks), your W-2 tax form sent by

your employer will be increased to show the value of whatever

health insurance you are given by the company. It does not

matter if that's a private concern or governmental body of some

sort. If you're retired?
So what; your gross will go up by the amount of insurance you get.

You will be required to pay taxes on a large sum of money that you

have never seen. Take your tax form you just finished and see

what $15,000 or $20,000 additional gross does to your tax debt.

That's what you'll pay next year. For many, it also puts you into a

new higher bracket so it's even worse.

This is how the government is going to buy insurance for the15%

that don't have insurance and it's only part of the tax increases.

Not believing this??? Here is a research of the summaries.....

On page 25 of 29: TITLE IX REVENUE PROVISIONS- SUBTITLE A:

REVENUE OFFSET PROVISIONS - (sec. 9001, as modified by sec.

10901) Sec.9002 "requires employers to include in the W-2 form

of each employee the aggregate cost of applicable employer

sponsored group health coverage that is excludable from the

employees gross income."

Joan Pryde is the senior tax editor for the Kiplinger letters. Go to
Kiplingers and read about 13 tax changes that could affect you.
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Health Reform, Your Taxes and the Rumor Mill

Posted by Stephanie Cutter on May 25, 2010 at 04:05 PM EDT
As the Administration works to implement the Affordable Care Act, it is critically important to ensure that consumers across the country have accurate information about their new rights and benefits under the new health insurance law. Throughout the Congressional debate on health reform, Americans were bombarded by the opponents of reform with rumors, misinformation and false claims. Unfortunately, those efforts persist.

For example, there is now an email circulating with false information about the W2 form. The email states that because consumers will now see the value of their employer provided health care on their W2 form, their taxes will go up. Here’s what part of it claims:

“Starting in 2011 (next year folks) your W 2 tax form sent by your employer will be increased to show the value of what ever health insurance you are given by the company. It does not matter if that's a private concern or governmental body of some sort. If you're retired? So what; your gross will go up by the amount of insurance you get. You will be required to pay taxes on a large sum of money that you have never seen. Take your tax form you just finished and see what $15,000 or $20,000 additional gross does to your tax debt. That's what you'll pay next year. For many it also puts you into a new higher bracket so it's even worse. This is how the government is going to buy insurance for the 15% that don't have insurance and it's only part of the tax increases.”


Don’t believe it. This claim is simply false.
Here are the facts: Next year, your W2 form will only change to show the value of the health care benefits that you have received so you can know more about your benefits and you are an empowered consumer, but you will absolutely not pay taxes on these benefits.

Throughout this year and the coming years, we will work with Congress, states and all other stakeholders to ensure consumers get accurate information on the Affordable Care Act so that they can take advantage of the new cost savings, benefits, insurance reforms as well as the affordable private insurance choices available to them.

Be sure to get the facts. You can learn more about the Affordable Care Act and how it affects you and your community here and check the White House blog for more information about the new law in the days and weeks ahead.
Stephanie Cutter is Assistant to the President for Special Projects
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/05/25/health-reform-your-taxes-and-rumor-mill

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7. Battle of the Bilge The Military Officers Association of America.

MOAA STORY.

http://www.moaablogs.org/battleofthebilge/2010/05/newhealthcaretax/