http://news.yahoo.com/
" First you paid to insure your car. Soon you may have to add health insurance premiums to that stack of monthly bills as well.
In a revamped health care system envisioned by senators, people would be required to carry health insurance just like motorists must get auto coverage now. The government would provide subsidies for the poor and many middle-class families, but those who still refuse to sign up would face fines of more than $1,000.
The details were unveiled Thursday in a health care overhaul bill supported by key Senate Democrats looking to fulfill President Barack Obama’s top domestic priority.
The Congressional Budget Office estimated the fines would raise around $36 billion over 10 years. Senate aides said the penalties would be modeled on the approach taken by Massachusetts, which now imposes a fine of about $1,000 a year on individuals who refuse to get coverage. Under the federal legislation, families would pay higher penalties than individuals.
Called “shared responsibility payments,” the fines would offset at least half the cost of basic medical coverage, according to the legislation. The goal is to nudge people to sign up for coverage when they are healthy, not wait until they get sick.
In 2008, employer-provided coverage averaged $12,680 a year for a family plan, and $4,704 for individual coverage, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation’s annual survey. Senate aides, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly, said the cost of the federal plan would be lower but declined to provide specifics.
The legislation would exempt certain hardship cases from fines, which would be collected through the income tax system."
" First you paid to insure your car. Soon you may have to add health insurance premiums to that stack of monthly bills as well.
In a revamped health care system envisioned by senators, people would be required to carry health insurance just like motorists must get auto coverage now. The government would provide subsidies for the poor and many middle-class families, but those who still refuse to sign up would face fines of more than $1,000.
The details were unveiled Thursday in a health care overhaul bill supported by key Senate Democrats looking to fulfill President Barack Obama’s top domestic priority.
The Congressional Budget Office estimated the fines would raise around $36 billion over 10 years. Senate aides said the penalties would be modeled on the approach taken by Massachusetts, which now imposes a fine of about $1,000 a year on individuals who refuse to get coverage. Under the federal legislation, families would pay higher penalties than individuals.
Called “shared responsibility payments,” the fines would offset at least half the cost of basic medical coverage, according to the legislation. The goal is to nudge people to sign up for coverage when they are healthy, not wait until they get sick.
In 2008, employer-provided coverage averaged $12,680 a year for a family plan, and $4,704 for individual coverage, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation’s annual survey. Senate aides, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly, said the cost of the federal plan would be lower but declined to provide specifics.
The legislation would exempt certain hardship cases from fines, which would be collected through the income tax system."
"America's health care system is second only to Japan, Canada, Sweden, Great Britain, well...all of Europe. But you can thank your lucky stars we don't live in Paraguay!"
-Homer Simpson
But, truth be known, most insurance is more of a health plan than actual insurance, and I wonder if that's part of the issue. Personally, I don't go to the doctor that often for checkups. I suppose if I needed to, I would, but insurance typically covers weird things like dermatology and psychiatry visits. Even if I needed those (which is arguable), I don't think I need insurance for them.
I don't really need health insurance except in the event of a catastrophic accident or surgery or something serious over a certain dollar amount like, say, $10,000 dollars. I think once I no longer have this needlessly granular designer PPO plan, I will probably switch to catastrophic insurance which is something everyone should get.
I just pay 40 % income tax and then it's all payed for.
anyway..why NOW are people complaining about "being forced" to pay for stuff.. when the stuff is actually kind of for... them?
Someone else fought wars with your money... killed with your money... but try to make you help YOU with your money?
Whoooa slow down that might actually make sense.
Remember when we were paying like TWO WHOLE DOLLARS MORE per GALLON??? You know what a tax hike that would have been, and what it could have paid for locally????
Don't ask people if they want to be healthy. Tell them: you are going to be healthy, you are going to have access to care, and you are going to like it. And you are going to pay for it.
Thinking makes the small brains go ow. Don't make them try and think.
Thinking makes the small brains go ow.
Isn't that why the GOP has lasted so long?
When it comes to healthcare, it's time to just do it, don't ask permission, just do it and fuck everyone who doesn't like it.
They need to start immediately by passing legislation requiring:
- all premiums to less than 100$/month per person, 50$/person for corporate health plans.
- insurers to pay 100% minus a 25$ co-pay for every doctors visit.
- they cover any and all treatments that are recommended by doctors.
- they can not refuse or revoke coverage of any person regardless of their health status, only a failure to pay premiums.
- any insurer found in violation of the above will have its assets seized
With that in place they can begin to phase in a public health care system.
And by public I mean public as in everyone a government employee with a federal salary, doctors included, you want to practice in this country, say "hello" to federal employment, and "good-bye" to multi-million dollar incomes. Don't like it, go find a different job, someone else will take your place. And just so we can ensure that we never run out of doctors who are in it purely to help people, if you go to college and receive a medical degree, you're schooling debt will be expunged after you've completed 5 years practicing.
Sure you'll get some whiny bitches (republicans) pissing and moaning for a few years, but give it a decade and then try to take it away and watch them all riot.
Ask anyone with a nationalized healthcare program if they'd want to replace it with Aetna, Humana, or Kaizer Permenente and they'd laugh at you.
A guy I know that is trying to get into our unit is currently paying something like $1300 per month for his family's health insurance... he's mainly joining the military for Tricare.
I don't claim to have any confident solutions for the healthcare system, but I can certainly see why many people can't afford insurance these days.
once again, thanks for the really relevant trolling and downvotes for no reason. Someone should ban you QM
There is no argument. I didn't even make an argument. I simply posted the article.
“If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it’s free.”
Much, much less?