Posted on 09/13/2013 5:41:11 AM PDT by IBD editorial writer
There are so many factors in play here that it is hard to isolate the damage done just by one. You almost have to add up all the different examples of the negative impacts.
The cost basis of Obamacare was based on incorrect assumptions of a static number of uninsured, and a penalty/tax structure to pay for the bill. The revenue components were cuts to Medicare, taxes on the "rich", taxes on everybody, and penalties to employers. The only one of those that can really increase as people get shoved out of employer based coverage is the penalty to the employer. That penalty is a fraction of the cost the government will incur in subsidies for a lower middle class employee.
In the Trader Joe's example there is no penalty to the employer because these are all part time employees. They are people that used to have coverage subsidized through to private means and will now be subsidized by us.
The scarier example by far would be a large company that offered family coverage and cuts that to employee only coverage. In that example the company will pay no penalty, and the family isn't eligible for a subsidy. The financial burden to the family will be for the entire cost of insuring the rest of the family. Many people that cheered the passing of ACA are going to find the only coverage offered to them will come with a hefty price tag they cannot afford. This void in the ACA bill will make people forget the "doughnut hole" from Medicare Part D.
Or...
* Flat or Fair Tax, one rate.
* No Deductions except...
* Healthcare, your policy cost and possibly other health care cost are deductible. if you truly believe in healthcare this would be the solution. If you don't buy a policy, tough luck at somepoint, we can't change people making that decision.
* Repeal the Anti-Trust Exemption for the Health Insurance Industry so we can buy across Statelines.
* Imagine a website to buy the policy you want with or without bells and whistles on a "Progessive" Insurance type Web-page.
Do you remember when the Luxury tax was tried? I think it was around 1991. I was working in the marine industry at the time. It put a majority of boat manufacturers, plus aircraft, etc. out of business. After ruining that part of the economy they rolled it back, perhaps Charles K. has a point.
and 2 weeks from now, what is your plan?
Do you really think Boehner and McConnell are going to try to ram Harry Reid, scuttle the ship of state, and go down with it?
Or play “lets make a deal”?
what deal is in your plan?
They are going to get that, but I don't think they realized that a soft economy plus ACA would lead to the destruction of the 40 hour work week, massive slowing of hiring, etc.
“We believe that with the $500 from Trader Joe’s and the tax credits available under the (Affordable Care Act), many of you should be able to obtain health care coverage at very little if any net cost to you,” noted CEO Dan Bane in a memo to employees revealed this week.
Am I missing something or is shifting the employer-provided health insurance to a lump-sum pay-out to the employee exposing that pay-out to individual Federal income taxes now?
There are many stories a day where this scenario is happening. (IBM retirees being a noteworthy example)
I agree. It will be such a mess people will be begging for repeal. If the GOP defunds it now, the rats have an anti-republican talking point for the midterm elections.
No, deducting healthcare costs would be like the mortgage exemption—if so important, not needed and just another case of the less wealthy subsidizing the higher-income folks’ Cadillac plans.
And there’s no need for the government to provide an ‘exchange’ or ‘web site’ or whatever. Insurance companies are capable of doing their own marketing; aggregators and journalists or watchdogs, their own informational sites.
Maybe a better use of taxpayer’s money than those endless Congressional pay raises, D.C. parties, and gold toilets...??
Insurance enrollment begins in 2 weeks. Would be difficult to stop it at this point. I disagree with forcing people to buy a product. Of course, others point to the fact we’re forced to buy car insurance too.
Imagine a GOP senate and house majority (Tea Party selected) in the run-up to next presidential election, and what they can do to unpopular, obviously failing, government mandates?
I do think we must let the people have their govt kool aid so they can see the consequences. Obviously the dose they swallowed so far is just beginning to sink in
Just buckle up for a bumpy ride and hope you and your family stay healthy
TJ’s employees make bupkis—and low-income employees pay squat through the exchanges, so TJ’s probably has it worked out about right.
I believe that is the true objective of Obamacare.
First they destroy the existing health-care system by forcing you into this complex morass.
Once everybody is dependent on the government for health-care then they will also be under government control.
Once they have the leash on you they will do as they please.
Ah, lower personal health care premiums through government subsidy finally makes some news.
Exactly
thanks to what Boehner and McConnle will conjure in the next 2 weeks, the ebt cards will still work, the social security checks will still be deposited and the GOP will still be the outlyers in the next hugely fraud-laden election
I hate to sound fatalistic but I do believe this country must absolutely be brought to its knees by the democrats, to have any chance of standing up again.
2 terms of soetero, true unemployment in double digits, sinking middle class, multiple undeclared mini wars, military turned into lavender poodles, USA becoming the joke of the world, and 6 TRILLION IN NEW DEBT haven't done it yet
A much better example is the passage then repeal of the Medicare Catastrophic Coverage act in the late 1980s.
Obviously it was smaller than Obamacare, but there are direct and relevant parallels between the two.
I think that’s what Krauthammer was thinking of, and I too think he has a point ...
The Federales have NEVER terminated a program of this size. Ever.
If ObamaCare isnt’ strangled in its crib, if it gets funded, its perpetual existence is guaranteed.
No matter how much of a fiasco it is, the solution will always be to throw MORE money at it, not to get rid it of it.
They can’t allow it go any further.
Agree, I meant private sector website(s) once Obamacare would be repealed and suplanted with a free-market framework. Imagine a Priceline type of site giving you the best prices for what you want...
Partial control of the Medical Industry is Socialism.
Total control of the Medical Industry is Communism.
______________
Obama’s interest in an un-provoked US Military invasion of non-enemy Syria has nothing to do with Syria, poison gas, or “the children.”
Obama’s interest in bombing non-enemy Syria has everything to do with creating a long-lasting, controversial, DISTRACTION for Congress in order to keep Congress from defunding Obama”care”/Boehnerkare.
Obama’s “Red Herring” for the 9-11 Benghazi Massacre Coverup was Susan Rice’s phony TV Video story.
Obama’s “Red Herring” for distracting Congress until Obama”care”/ Boehnerkare kicks in October 1 was Obama’s “Crossing HIS personal Red Line” distraction speech LAST YEAR.
Con-artist Obama speaks only for Obama, not the US Military, US Federal Government Foreign Policy or America.
Obama has isolated himself, and has primed himself for Impeachment.
IMPEACH OBAMA !
REMEMBER BENGHAZI !
The new “MNCARE” exchange starts 10/1 and they’ve already
had a data breach(not reported in local media)
Some state employee emailed a bunch of people’s SSN #s to a broker.
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