GOP Senators offer plan for universal health care

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/18405.html

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A group of conservative Republican senators put forth a plan Thursday that seeks to ensure every American has health insurance — a cause long championed by the political left.

The bill encourages families to find their own health coverage and offers refundable tax credits of up to $5,400 per family. But advocates for the uninsured say the proposal could jeopardize low-income families and chronically ill patients, as well as the employment-based health-care system, which now covers 65 percent of Americans.

"It's time for a major debate on health care insurance," Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla., said in a statement. "Not enough people have access to affordable health care, and the Congress has not done enough about this crisis." Martinez was joined in introducing the bill by fellow Republican Sens. Richard Burr of North Carolina, Tom Coburn of Oklahoma and Bob Corker of Tennessee.
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HOW RIDICULOUS IS THIS????

:rofl: :eyes:

Insurance Companies. WE need Health CARE

Drumroll please............

"special tax credits"

:boring:

This could cause some real trouble. People like simple answers and this is simple, and sounds big enough to help most young families.

and it's going nowhere in Congress. Don't worry about it.

I think that's different, isn't it? I don't remember. I thought Bush was pushing HSAs.

Refundable. You get it back even with zero tax due, and probably can have it added to your check the way EIC is, if you have insurance. I think this is different than what they've pushed so far.

the poor and low-income do not have enough income to be taxed, so the "solution" looks good to the average citizen or the Repubs are just too judgemental in thinking if they don't pay taxes they don't deserve any consideration. Just like the BS that every American has access to health care....like if they don't mind going to the emergency room and being billed far more than being seen in a clinic...then comes the collection agencies and bankruptcy...the solution smells like rotten fish.

fuck them.

......The bill could bring health coverage to millions of Americans now without it. But Burr said in an interview that it also would begin taxing the value of health-care plans that many employers now offer workers, a controversial provision sure to face opposition. Such benefits are now tax-free, both for the employer and the worker.

"Our aim is to remove inequities in our tax laws and make tax relief for health insurance available to everyone," Martinez said.

The legislation would offer special tax credits to help cover the cost of health insurance and other health bills: $2,160 per person, up to a maximum of $5,400 per family.

Burr, a member of the Senate health committee, said the plan would level the field, describing a Robin Hood-like bureaucracy that would take money from those with rich health-care plans to help pay for those who have nothing.

It's the same ol' GOP shit ... milk working taxpayers to enrich the corporations. Watch the premiums go up equal to the amount of the tax credit ... and freeze out anyone below the median wage.

Why don't you just pull yourself up by your bootstraps?

Already. Just to keep things in perspective.

Oh, well, do I fucking wait a whole damn year for the tax credit to kick in when I need 5400 dollars now!?

I can see it now...a poor family decides to pay bills, buy kids clothes, etc. RW nutjobs blame the family for not having health insurance.

It can take a very long time, more than a year, to find a new job once laid off or whatever.

Reimbursed in every paycheck. I don't remember how long it took for them to do that with EIC, a few years.

If only the big ones didn't come in and wipe out the little ones, of which their greater numbers allowed for more working people AND keep communities open as well...

Big Government may be inept; but Big Business would do itself a lot of honor (and surrogate credibility) if they could do what government cannot. So far, Big Business seems just as mindless as Big Government.

That leaves the patient to pay for the difference between what the insurance company pays and amount billed by the doctor. I know I work for a medical clinic that is canceling contracts with insurance companies.

and turning it into a huge insurance industry pork fest. This is what happens when the leaders of the Dem party are not firmly grasping the reins and leading the cause.

Just a total waste of time even listening to the details.

Which health insurance company lobbying organization REALLY wrote the plan?

I'm self-employed. My health insurance premiums are already tax deductible. They're still unaffordable. Big whoop!