Error editing post! Your message is too short. Please lengthen your message to at least 5 characters.Error editing post! Your message is too short. Please lengthen your message to at least 5 characters.
There is nothing they don't want to tax. It is a sign of a bankrupt nation. Nothing happens for Katrina, borders run rampant, incompetence in foreign policy, taxes, taxes, and more taxes!





I guess he plans to speak about this at the State of the Union, huh?
Since health insurance premiums are paid pre-tax for the most part, the employer and employee are already taking a tax-break on them. Thus, taxing certain benefits is consistent with taxation of benefits from other types of insurance, such as disability.
Is this the best approach to combating the healthcare problem, definately not. But its already being done in other insurance areas.
"Have you ever been to American wedding? Where is the vodka, where's marinated herring?" - GB
"And do the cats give a shit? No, they do not. Why? Because they're cats."-from The Onion
Originally Posted by Mia M
Europe is looking good now... I'm getting tired of the US....






Please let us know how you like the 50% marginal income tax rates, and how long you wind up standing in line in order to actually receive 'free' medical care that you need ! And here's hoping that you are never diagnosed with breast cancer !Europe is looking good now... I'm getting tired of the US....
You might want to give a read ...
(snip)"What, then, would we want to look at if we really wanted to compare the efficacy
of health care systems? We would look at those conditions for which we know medical services can make a real difference. Among women who are diagnosed with breast cancer, only one fifth die in the United States, compared to one third in France and Germany, and almost half in
the United Kingdom and New Zealand. Among men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer, fewer than one fifth die in the United States, compared to one fourth in Canada, almost half in France, and more than half in the United Kingdom."(snip)
(snip)"Why do these (National Health Care - sic) systems overprovide to the healthy and underprovide to the sick? Well, in the United States, about 4 percent of the patients spend half the money. If you’re a politician allocating health care dollars, you cannot afford to spend half your money on 4 percent of the voters—4 percent who may be too sick to go to the polls and vote for you anyway."(snip)
As far as taxing health care benefits, there is currently a problem of 'unequal treatment under the law' which stems from employers/employees being able to purchase health insurance with pre-tax dollars versus independent contractors and other individuals having to purchase health insurance with after-tax dollars.
~
Last edited by Melonie; 01-23-2007 at 04:16 PM.
I would be ever so happy to oblige you, but other countries actually ENFORCE their immigration laws. Bizarre, I know!Originally Posted by Farnham
This is thread is just icing on the cake for me, I have my reasons. I'm quite hopeful for Germany...and I'd only be there for a year. So what if there has to be some cons to leaving the country for Europe for a little while, big deal. There's cons about America as well.
It must not be that bad if I know of people who have gone for a visit to places like Germany and decided to move there, give up their USA citizenship for German ones and not want to come back
EDIT:
And another reason I have a problem with USA's healthcare? I have personally had some horrible experiences, doctor malpractice, etc. that has messed me up for life. And I get to pay for it! Whee! Sure, it may not be better in Europe, but the other things I like about what I'm learning about there makes up for it! The US does NOT have the best healthcare.
Last edited by BrunetteGoddess; 01-23-2007 at 05:13 PM.
Yes, but you have to prove your conversion was valid. I had a halachic conversion - I was very careful to make sure that Jewish law was followed to the letter - but it was overseen by a Reform rabbi so I would have to put forth an argument.Originally Posted by Pan Dah
I don't think I'd be a good Israeli though, LOL! I support Israel 100% but I'm not ready to move there at this point. Maybe some day.





My problem comes in with a situation like ours, though. We have health insurance through Mox's employer. It takes a HUGE amount per week out of his paycheck, though. We realize the importance of having it, but we can barely afford to keep it. So what gives? Neither one of us would have health insurance if it wasn't for the gigantic hunk of change (taken pre-tax, mind you) that we pay to get taken care of.
If they want to tax people that actually HAVE money, then fine. Leave people like us that are barely making it paycheck to paycheck (and are lucky to even have some type of health coverage) out of it, though!



I'd prefer the government do something which it isn't ever going to do - change the laws so most people do purchase their own health insurance, but give them a tax credit, instead of a tax deduction on their federal taxes. It will never be done, because it would bankrupt the U.S. Treasury that much faster, and I'm sure a portion of the Congress will want to make sure the unemployed are covered, so I don't know exactly how you'd have to handle that situation.
By sacrificing this amount of tax revenue to provide health insurance to most people, the Congress would prove it is actually serious about helping the middle class.
And they could also do something about increasing the number of seats in U.S. medical schools. Then they need to place some limitations on the lawsuit damages from the decent doctors (not the incompetent ones), sought by trial lawyers as well. Of course, if the Congress tried to do these two things, they'd run afoul of both the AMA and the Trial Lawyers Association.
Last edited by PhaedrusZ; 01-23-2007 at 07:08 PM. Reason: added material




Well, that's frickin' simple. You extend the same tax-free status on those benefits to the independent contractors and other individuals as is currently extended to the employers/employees who have it now. In other words, take taxes OFF to even the playing field, not put taxes ON. When the hell did Bush become about supporting new taxes? Oh wait. Read my lips. Like father, like son.
-Ev
Bookmarks