Thread: McCain's Healthcare Reform Scary!

September 16, 2008
Op-Ed Columnist
McCain’s Radical Agenda
By BOB HERBERT
Talk about a shock to the system. Has anyone bothered to notice the radical changes that John McCain and Sarah Palin are planning for the nation’s health insurance system?

These are changes that will set in motion nothing less than the dismantling of the employer-based coverage that protects most American families.

A study coming out Tuesday from scholars at Columbia, Harvard, Purdue and Michigan projects that 20 million Americans who have employment-based health insurance would lose it under the McCain plan.

There is nothing secret about Senator McCain’s far-reaching proposals, but they haven’t gotten much attention because the chatter in this campaign has mostly been about nonsense — lipstick, celebrities and “Drill, baby, drill!â€

anything is better than Universal heath care, having to pay for all of these people with horribally bad lifestyles

hate to be stick in the mud... but this has been our life for many years now. we buy private health insurance, very expensive with very, very poor coverage (essentially no coverage just catastrophic ) . we lost all coverage for about 6 months 6 or 7 years ago, so having learned our lesson (if they find anything, ie high blood pressure*, you loose ins.) so now we have little medical coverage. welcome to our world America!


*i am not saying i have high blood pressure or anyone else in my family.

Yet another radical element of McCain’s plan is his proposal to undermine state health insurance regulations by allowing consumers to buy insurance from sellers anywhere in the country.

Why is this so radical??? You can do this with car insurance and choose what coverage you want. State regulations often require companies to include coverage that people don't want or need but have to pay for. If a person doesn't want chiropractic care or maternity care, etc., why shouldn't they be forced to buy it. The same health plan can vary by thousands by just crossing state lines. It's ridiculous.

HOW ARE AMERICANS GOING TO AFFORD HEALTH CARE?

OK, tell me where I'm wrong.

The employee pays taxes, only on the premium the employer pays.
The government then gives employee a refundable tax credit for $2,500 to $5K. Now how much would that employer have to be paying to make the taxes on it equal $5K?

Only the premiums will be taxed.

Someone help me with the math.

How is this going to make them drop their healthcare with the employer?

The only think I can think is everyone is going to get the tax credit and some may think they will drop out and pocket that money.

Put the pencil to this, and tell me where I'm wrong.

As for being able to buy anywhere, as someone said, we do that with auto coverage. Your premiums are based on where you live.

This sounds good for those who don't have employer coverage and there are many, many of those.

From McCain's website:

John McCain Will Reform The Tax Code To Offer More Choices Beyond Employer-Based Health Insurance Coverage. While still having the option of employer-based coverage, every family will receive a direct refundable tax credit - effectively cash - of $2,500 for individuals and $5,000 for families to offset the cost of insurance. Families will be able to choose the insurance provider that suits them best and the money would be sent directly to the insurance provider. Those obtaining innovative insurance that costs less than the credit can deposit the remainder in expanded Health Savings Accounts.

John McCain Proposes Making Insurance More Portable. Americans need insurance that follows them from job to job. They want insurance that is still there if they retire early and does not change if they take a few years off to raise the kids.

While still having the option of employer-based coverage, every family will receive a direct refundable tax credit - effectively cash - of $2,500 for individuals and $5,000 for families to offset the cost of insurance.

The last time I had employer-provided health insurance was in 1996, and have looked into private insurers, I have been quoted an average of $500 a month or 6,000 annually, while usually I am lucky and get sick for about $300 per year.
What will make employers, in this economic environment, keep funding any insurance to new employees or providing any sort of pensions and insurance to those employees that helped the companies succeed in the first place? This idea just seems to give more impetus to employers to unwind their obligations to provide any sort of benefits, all in the name of the bottom line.

Right now the I-9s and illegal who get free medical have spoil many employers into not wanting to cover their employees.

I can see how the employer will dump insurance, I just don' t see how it will make people drop their employer insurance.