Posted on 10/06/2009 6:56:09 PM PDT by reaganaut1
More than half of all House Democrats will ask House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to reject proposals to tax expensive health insurance policies, as part of health legislation aimed at covering the uninsured and reining in health-care costs.
The letter to Pelosi was signed by 154 House Democrats, led by Rep. Joe Courtney of Connecticut and senior members of the House Ways and Means Committee. The lawmakers plan to discuss their opposition to the tax at a press conference Wednesday, after delivering the letter to Pelosi.
The tax on so-called Cadillac plans is a central feature of the health-care bill being considered by the Senate Finance Committee. But Pelosi has said she is also considering adding some form of the tax to the House bill as she looks for ways to reduce the cost of the package and trim a separate surtax on wealthy Americans.
"Inclusion of an excise tax on high-cost insurance plans, as proposed by the Senate Finance Committee, could have significant and detrimental implications for millions of middle-class Americans," the House lawmakers wrote. "The short-term impact would be greatest on individuals and families living in high-cost regions and for those that have sacrificed pay increases for strong benefits."
The Senate Finance bill would levy a 40% tax, to be paid by health insurance companies, on premiums that exceed $8,000 for individuals, or $21,000 for family plans, beginning in 2013.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Not fair to unions that paid for Obama campaign and wanted this free in return, did we take all the rich money yet?? I bet they are hiding something from us, Gold or something
Isn't tax-cheat Charlie in charge of this gang?
What about the most Cadillac of all plans for Congress and Federal workers? Here’s an excerpt from an article at NPR about their current plan:
“FEHBP provides coverage without regard to pre-existing conditions or age. There are no waiting periods for coverage.
The most common plan, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Standard option for federal workers, set deductibles this year at $300 for individuals and $600 for families. It limits out-of-pocket expenses to $5,000 per family for services from preferred health care providers and $7,000 overall.
On average, the government pays 72 percent of premiums.
The monthly cost to the worker for the Blue Cross Blue Shield Standard plan is $152.06 for an individual and $356.59 for a family.”
Out of curiousity, if anyone knows, how do these plans plan to shear active us taxpayers permanently residing overseas?
The huge federal workforce with these taxpayer paid benefits make market based reforms almost impossible. (not to mention the morality question) .
Thanks for the info, I live in MD that sucks one of the titties of the big pig, It is a crime how some live like kings while the others eat crumbs, and ‘you know who’ grew fed govmt beyond anyones dreams !! We can pray the voters realize how they screw themselves begging DC for stuff.
More than half of all House Democrats will ask House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to reject proposals to tax expensive health insurance policies, as part of health legislation aimed at covering the uninsured and reining in health-care costs. The letter to Pelosi was signed by 154 House Democrats, led by Rep. Joe Courtney of Connecticut and senior members of the House Ways and Means Committee.By "expensive health insurance policies", they mean trade unions and professional associations like the NEA?
Most of them are benefits that cover high risk jobs that are often unions. Zero deductible, no co-pay type plans.
The Libs want to screw the rest of us with taxes on medical devices and other things that will raise the cost of healthcare ... plus another income tax surtax, to make our top rate higher than socialist Euro-zone states.
Thanks!
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