House health plan to boost taxes on rich

[sabra]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON---- House Democrats readied legislation Tuesday that imposes penalties on employers who fail to provide health insurance for their workers and on individuals who refuse to buy it, part of a sweeping effort to overhaul the nation's health care system.

The bill, to be debated in committee beginning later this week, would require insurance companies to offer coverage, without exceptions or higher premiums in cases of pre-existing medical conditions.

...

In all, the draft House bill runs more than 1,000 pages, and is designed to fulfill Obama's call for legislation that will extend coverage to millions who lack it, as well as begin to slow the rate of growth in health care generally.

Key elements of the legislation include federal subsidies for poorer individuals and families to help them afford coverage.

Financing would come from a federal surtax on the upper income -- up to 5.4 percent on the income of taxpayers making more than $1 million a year -- as well as hundreds of billions of dollars in cuts in projected Medicare and Medicaid spending.

Read more: http://www.suntimes.com/news/nation/1665264,w-healthcare-reform-taxes-rich-071409.article

[madrchsod]

1. that`s going to kill any health care reform in the usa.

oh well,at least the insurance companies are happy....

[PNutt]

3. Why Would You Say That?

President Obama promised raising taxes on those at the top of the pay scale during his campaign. No big surprise here. Using that revenue to aid in funding health care reform (a win for all income brackets) will be a tremendous aid in the overall funding of the reforms. Increasing coverage, increasing participation, and doing away with insurance company exclusions MUST be part of any reform. As for a public option, this will force for-profit companies to compile larger groups to aid in lowering costs. What is wrong with any of that? Now that most major hospitals, the drug companies, and the AMA are all on board for reform, what is the holdup? The only ones standing to lose anything, are the ones that are getting rich off of the pain and suffering of others, not the patients, providers, or suppliers. I say, "Full speed ahead!"

[Beavker]

4. The Golden Rule.

Those with all the Gold make all the rules.

We've gone past the reset point. We'll all talk about it and debate and Blogs will run wild and MSM will blather on and on...we'll end up nowhere. Wall Street will win. Anyone can and will be bought.

I might have to move to England. I'm not rich enough to live in the U.S., the Country Club for the old, rich, fat, white guys who own a hedge fund.

[WriteDown]

7. If you think you're not rich enough to live in the US...

just wait until you get to England! You need to think more about Costa Rica.

[kenfrequed]

8. BAh

Right...

Well we could always go back to the higher tax rates on wealth during that pinko Ford's time, or maybe that socialist Nixon, or that total communist Eisenhower.


Face facts jack, the rich have been skipping out on their share for a long damned time and it is past time we get a little payback on it.

[madrchsod]

9. i do agree with you on raising tax rates

what i object to or question is the use of the word "surtax". putting a surtax to fund a specific program does`t meet the ideal fair share in american. what needs to be done is restore the tax to one of those levels and not link it to any specific bill.

adjust the graduated income tax scale, social security taxes , and tax all income.

[MrBlueSky]

2. This legislation, if passed in its current form...

Is right. The best answer is single payor healthcare... but the insurance companies have to extract their pound of flesh.

Failing that, this would be the right prescription, the right time (actually, way past time!), the right method of taxation (it's about time the rich paid their fare share...) and the right place to put the money from the "soak the rich" tax... right into healthcare for all.

Let's get our Senators and Representatives on the horn... and DEMAND they vote for this bill in its original form! Nothing, but nothing, is more urgently needed in this country and this should be Number 1 to all Americans.

[Odin2005]

5. Good! Soak the rich!

[quidam56]

6. We are the change we voted for, let 'em hear from US

As a former health care giver, I am shocked and saddened to see what has become of health care in America. $ 1. 4 million is being spent per day in DC by the health care lobbyists so your elected representative is getting taken care of and has quality health care we pay for and can't afford ourselves for our families, I know what is deemed, defended and supported in Tennessee and Virginia as quality health care and clearly profit care comes ahead of patient care. http://www.wisecountyissues.com/?p=62 MRSA ( methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureas ) is infesting our communities because filthy, uncaring hospitals and emergency rooms are breeding them and spreading them into our schools, homes, restaurants. How many more Americans' will be diseased or die while 74 % of Americans' are begging for health care reform ? More people died in America last year from MRSA complications than AIDS. When MRSA and a flu bug start mixing, it won't be pretty and we are being infected by the very health care system we depend on and trust to keep us safe and healthy.