If You Are Against the Health Care Bill...

[rmaday]

Originally Posted by mlarson

There is something wrong with your numbers.

If Congress passes the Senate health-care plan, according to an analysis by the Congressional Budget Office, American families will be required by federal law to buy a federally approved health insurance plan that will cost a minimum of Average premiums per policy in the nongroup market in 2016 would be roughly $5,800 for single policies and $15,200 for family policies under the proposal, compared with roughly $5,500 for single policies and $13,100 for family policies under current law. -- whether their employer or the government helps them with the premium or not.

CBO Report

and

By CBO and JCT’s estimate, the average premium per policy in the small group market would be in the vicinity of $7,800 for single policies and $19,200 for family policies under the proposal, compared with about $7,800 and $19,300 under current law. In the large group market, average premiums would be roughly $7,300 for single policies and $20,100 for family policies under the proposal, compared with about $7,400 and $20,300 under current law.8
The reductions in premiums described above also exclude the effects of the excise tax on high-premium insurance policies offered through employers, which would have a significant impact on premiums for the affected workers but which would affect only a portion of the market in 2016. As in the nongroup market, the effects on the premiums paid by some people for coverage provided through their employer could vary significantly from the average effects on premiums, particularly in the small group market.

That is $1,200-$1650/month for a family coverage.


That is a common misconception. Employers pay nothing. If the employee wasn't there he would not have the expense so in effect the employee always pay for the premium.

Um, Fred was talking about Canada.

I guess you're back to believing the CBO again, Mike?

On a side note, I used to work with a bunch of Canadians and while they lived and worked here, they were steadfast in how F-ed up our health care system is and how much better they have it back home.

Are they socialists, too?

[rmaday]

Originally Posted by fsteeves

As a Canadian this is one of the most interesting and confusing issues I see in the US. I (we Canadians) don't understand why anyone would be against universal health care.
Here in Canada I have free health care, I don't pay an insurance premium every week or month out of my pay cheque and I can't be refused by any hospital I show up at. I choose my own family doctor, he refers me to specilists ei. heart specialist, eye specialists. These specialists don't charge me a dime and my doctor and I choose him/her. I've even gone to another province for eye surgery, no charge.
Our health care is paid for, yes I know you hate to here it but, by a little higher taxes. These taxes come from, income, gas, ciggerettes, and liquor. Now if my insurance premium is $300 - $400 a month it is now coming from the above commodities. My employer doesn't pay an insurance premium for me, therefore his labour costs are down. Win win in the business sector.
So you can either pay an insurance premium, or a little at a time with higher taxes (which equals out) and paying a litle more at the pumps and liquor store.
By me paying a little more for those things it allows everyone in Canada, no matter what their income, access to free medical. This includes heart surgery, liver transplant etc., no limitations and no insurance company refusing to pay
Our free health care does not include an ambulance ride ($300) or persciption drugs, but from the time I step into a hospital, and until I walk out the door there is no charge, and that makes me sleep better knowing me and my family never have to worry about a huge bill or having to sell my house because my insurance refused to pay.
But no one not even the government tells me what hospital I can go to and what doctor I can see.
Up here it is our national treasure and it will never be privatized (for profit) or taken away.
Our national hero is Tommy Douglas, the founder of medicare and a farmer turned politican.
We treasure our health care and we will never give it up. Besides it's the only thing I can think of that my government does for me.

Well said.

Hopefully we have taken the first step, here, in establishing healthcare for everyone.

[Michael Larson]

Originally Posted by rmaday

Well said.

Hopefully we have taken the first step, here, in establishing healthcare for everyone.

lol....lol....lol...lol

Who doesn't get health care now?

Maybe you mean insurance.

[James H. Bushart]

Originally Posted by rmaday

Well said.

Hopefully we have taken the first step, here, in establishing healthcare for everyone.

That would be great. There are certainly many good things to come.

[Gary Farnsworth]

Cap and trade is next. Think health care is going to cost you? Just you wait for the next debacle.

[Fred M. Steeves]

Originally Posted by mlarson

There is something wrong with your numbers.

If Congress passes the Senate health-care plan, according to an analysis by the Congressional Budget Office, American families will be required by federal law to buy a federally approved health insurance plan that will cost a minimum of Average premiums per policy in the nongroup market in 2016 would be roughly $5,800 for single policies and $15,200 for family policies under the proposal, compared with roughly $5,500 for single policies and $13,100 for family policies under current law. -- whether their employer or the government helps them with the premium or not.

CBO Report

and

By CBO and JCT’s estimate, the average premium per policy in the small group market would be in the vicinity of $7,800 for single policies and $19,200 for family policies under the proposal, compared with about $7,800 and $19,300 under current law. In the large group market, average premiums would be roughly $7,300 for single policies and $20,100 for family policies under the proposal, compared with about $7,400 and $20,300 under current law.8
The reductions in premiums described above also exclude the effects of the excise tax on high-premium insurance policies offered through employers, which would have a significant impact on premiums for the affected workers but which would affect only a portion of the market in 2016. As in the nongroup market, the effects on the premiums paid by some people for coverage provided through their employer could vary significantly from the average effects on premiums, particularly in the small group market.

That is $1,200-$1650/month for a family coverage.


That is a common misconception. Employers pay nothing. If the employee wasn't there he would not have the expense so in effect the employee always pay for the premium.

Hey Mike your scaring me! Insurance premiums of over $1,000/month, incredible, I had no idea.
Sounds to me like the only ones getting anything out of your health care system is the insurance company, their board of directors and their lobbyists.
The politicians get paid to scare the bejesus out of the American public with this terrbile socialist threat and BS about being controlled by the government. Don't be afraid.
It is true Mike the onlly costs my employer incurrs are, my hourly rate, an unemployment insurance premium, and a little for Workers Comp, that's it.

[Michael Larson]

Fred,

Lets not pretend that your overall tax rate in equivalent to those in the USA

[rmaday]

Originally Posted by fsteeves

Hey Mike your scaring me! Insurance premiums of over $1,000/month, incredible, I had no idea.
Sounds to me like the only ones getting anything out of your health care system is the insurance company, their board of directors and their lobbyists.
The politicians get paid to scare the bejesus out of the American public with this terrbile socialist threat and BS about being controlled by the government. Don't be afraid.
It is true Mike the onlly costs my employer incurrs are, my hourly rate, an unemployment insurance premium, and a little for Workers Comp, that's it.

That's the way it was.

Jim, can you change the thread title to "Health Cats Law"
Just to be accurate.