Georgia Trail Riders Forum
MEMBERS DISCUSSION AREA => General Discussion => Topic started by: DOUG on April 18, 2013, 08:28:40 AM
-
Top Dem Sen. Baucus warns of 'train wreck' for Obama health law
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/04/18/top-dem-sen-baucus-warns-train-wreck-for-obama-health-law/#ixzz2QoeGuTKz
Full List of Obamacare Tax Hikes
Obamacare law contains 20 new or higher taxes on American families and small businesses
Taxpayers are reminded that the President's healthcare law is one of the largest tax increases in American history.
Arranged by their respective effective dates, below is the total list of all $500 billion-plus in tax hikes (over the next ten years) in Obamacare, where to find them in the bill, and how much your taxes are scheduled to go up as of today:
Taxes that took effect in 2010:
1. Excise Tax on Charitable Hospitals (Min$/immediate): $50,000 per hospital if they fail to meet new "community health assessment needs," "financial assistance," and "billing and collection" rules set by HHS. Bill: PPACA; Page: 1,961-1,971
2. Codification of the “economic substance doctrine” (Tax hike of $4.5 billion). This provision allows the IRS to disallow completely-legal tax deductions and other legal tax-minimizing plans just because the IRS deems that the action lacks “substance” and is merely intended to reduce taxes owed. Bill: Reconciliation Act; Page: 108-113
3. “Black liquor” tax hike (Tax hike of $23.6 billion). This is a tax increase on a type of bio-fuel. Bill: Reconciliation Act; Page: 105
4. Tax on Innovator Drug Companies ($22.2 bil/Jan 2010): $2.3 billion annual tax on the industry imposed relative to share of sales made that year. Bill: PPACA; Page: 1,971-1,980
5. Blue Cross/Blue Shield Tax Hike ($0.4 bil/Jan 2010): The special tax deduction in current law for Blue Cross/Blue Shield companies would only be allowed if 85 percent or more of premium revenues are spent on clinical services. Bill: PPACA; Page: 2,004
6. Tax on Indoor Tanning Services ($2.7 billion/July 1, 2010): New 10 percent excise tax on Americans using indoor tanning salons. Bill: PPACA; Page: 2,397-2,399
Taxes that took effect in 2011:
7. Medicine Cabinet Tax ($5 bil/Jan 2011): Americans no longer able to use health savings account (HSA), flexible spending account (FSA), or health reimbursement (HRA) pre-tax dollars to purchase non-prescription, over-the-counter medicines (except insulin). Bill: PPACA; Page: 1,957-1,959
8. HSA Withdrawal Tax Hike ($1.4 bil/Jan 2011): Increases additional tax on non-medical early withdrawals from an HSA from 10 to 20 percent, disadvantaging them relative to IRAs and other tax-advantaged accounts, which remain at 10 percent. Bill: PPACA; Page: 1,959
Tax that took effect in 2012:
9. Employer Reporting of Insurance on W-2 (Min$/Jan 2012): Preamble to taxing health benefits on individual tax returns. Bill: PPACA; Page: 1,957
Taxes that take effect in 2013:
10. Surtax on Investment Income ($123 billion/Jan. 2013): Creation of a new, 3.8 percent surtax on investment income earned in households making at least $250,000 ($200,000 single). This would result in the following top tax rates on investment income: Bill: Reconciliation Act; Page: 87-93
Capital Gains Dividends Other*
2012 15% 15% 35%
2013+ 23.8% 43.4% 43.4%
*Other unearned income includes (for surtax purposes) gross income from interest, annuities, royalties, net rents, and passive income in partnerships and Subchapter-S corporations. It does not include municipal bond interest or life insurance proceeds, since those do not add to gross income. It does not include active trade or business income, fair market value sales of ownership in pass-through entities, or distributions from retirement plans. The 3.8% surtax does not apply to non-resident aliens.
11. Hike in Medicare Payroll Tax ($86.8 bil/Jan 2013): Current law and changes:
First $200,000 All Remaining Wages
($250,000 Married) Employer/Employee
Employer/Employee
Current Law 1.45%/1.45% 1.45%/1.45%
2.9% self-employed 2.9% self-employed
Obamacare Tax Hike 1.45%/1.45% 1.45%/2.35%
2.9% self-employed 3.8% self-employed
Bill: PPACA, Reconciliation Act; Page: 2000-2003; 87-93
12. Tax on Medical Device Manufacturers ($20 bil/Jan 2013): Medical device manufacturers employ 360,000 people in 6000 plants across the country. This law imposes a new 2.3% excise tax. Exempts items retailing for <$100. Bill: PPACA; Page: 1,980-1,986
13. High Medical Bills Tax ($15.2 bil/Jan 2013): Currently, those facing high medical expenses are allowed a deduction for medical expenses to the extent that those expenses exceed 7.5 percent of adjusted gross income (AGI). The new provision imposes a threshold of 10 percent of AGI. Waived for 65+ taxpayers in 2013-2016 only. Bill: PPACA; Page: 1,994-1,995
14. Flexible Spending Account Cap – aka “Special Needs Kids Tax” ($13 bil/Jan 2013): Imposes cap on FSAs of $2500 (now unlimited). Indexed to inflation after 2013. There is one group of FSA owners for whom this new cap will be particularly cruel and onerous: parents of special needs children. There are thousands of families with special needs children in the United States, and many of them use FSAs to pay for special needs education. Tuition rates at one leading school that teaches special needs children in Washington, D.C. (National Child Research Center) can easily exceed $14,000 per year. Under tax rules, FSA dollars can be used to pay for this type of special needs education. Bill: PPACA; Page: 2,388-2,389
15. Elimination of tax deduction for employer-provided retirement Rx drug coverage in coordination with Medicare Part D ($4.5 bil/Jan 2013) Bill: PPACA; Page: 1,994
16. $500,000 Annual Executive Compensation Limit for Health Insurance Executives ($0.6 bil/Jan 2013). Bill: PPACA; Page: 1,995-2,000
Taxes that take effect in 2014:
17. Individual Mandate Excise Tax (Jan 2014): Starting in 2014, anyone not buying “qualifying” health insurance must pay an income surtax according to the higher of the following
1 Adult 2 Adults 3+ Adults
2014 1% AGI/$95 1% AGI/$190 1% AGI/$285
2015 2% AGI/$325 2% AGI/$650 2% AGI/$975
2016 + 2.5% AGI/$695 2.5% AGI/$1390 2.5% AGI/$2085
Exemptions for religious objectors, undocumented immigrants, prisoners, those earning less than the poverty line, members of Indian tribes, and hardship cases (determined by HHS). Bill: PPACA; Page: 317-337
18. Employer Mandate Tax (Jan 2014): If an employer does not offer health coverage, and at least one employee qualifies for a health tax credit, the employer must pay an additional non-deductible tax of $2000 for all full-time employees. Applies to all employers with 50 or more employees. If any employee actually receives coverage through the exchange, the penalty on the employer for that employee rises to $3000. If the employer requires a waiting period to enroll in coverage of 30-60 days, there is a $400 tax per employee ($600 if the period is 60 days or longer). Bill: PPACA; Page: 345-346
Combined score of individual and employer mandate tax penalty: $65 billion/10 years
19. Tax on Health Insurers ($60.1 bil/Jan 2014): Annual tax on the industry imposed relative to health insurance premiums collected that year. Phases in gradually until 2018. Fully-imposed on firms with $50 million in profits. Bill: PPACA; Page: 1,986-1,993
Taxes that take effect in 2018:
20. Excise Tax on Comprehensive Health Insurance Plans ($32 bil/Jan 2018): Starting in 2018, new 40 percent excise tax on “Cadillac” health insurance plans ($10,200 single/$27,500 family). Higher threshold ($11,500 single/$29,450 family) for early retirees and high-risk professions. CPI +1 percentage point indexed. Bill: PPACA; Page: 1,941-1,956
-
dont blame me, i did'nt vote for him,
-
TOTAL CLUSTER.:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/10/04/as-obamacare-launches-people-in-all-age-groups-report-problems/
Nancy Jean Beigel, one of those who appeared in the Rose Garden with President Obama recently as an example of someone who would benefit from ObamaCare, immediately encountered problems when she tried to enroll.
Beigel told the Washington Post she tried for two days to sign up before giving up for now. "It's a little confusing," she said. Others, who have gotten letters from their insurance carriers telling them exactly how much they will pay, are upset for different reasons.
Tom Gialanella of Seattle, who is self-employed, told Fox News, "my premiums would increase approximately 61 percent. I went from $891 a month to $1437 dollars a month. And also my deductibles all doubled."
The letter from his insurer said his current deductible for his family of five would double from $4,000 a year to $8,000.
Even though that's for the Bronze Plan, the least expensive option under ObamaCare,he says his additional payment of$550 a month will give him a plan that is no better than what he already has. What's more, it also it carries a benefit his family does not need: maternity and newborn care.
"My wife is 58 years old and our youngest child is soon to be 18," says Gialanella. "We'll be having no more children. That is not a benefit that we would ever purchase nor need or be able to use."
Gialanella is almost 60 and makes too much money to get any subsidies. But those his age aren't the only ones affected. Young people, especially, young men, can face huge premium increases.
Chris Holt of the conservative American Action Forum says, "we said let's look at what the lowest cost Bronze Plan is and compare that to the lowest cost plan that I can buy today. And what we found is that it will go up about 260 percent for a 30-year-old male."
-
And this is what happens when u let idiots vote, when u give the keys to the cookie jar to the fat kids, when people are able to make laws that dont apply to them.
has everyone read. "Animal Farm" if not read it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_Farm (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_Farm)
it will only get worse, and the real issue, is our kids and their kids will suffer more than us.
-
I have always thought there should be a voter requirement. No Jim Crowe here, not talking about reading and writing test or land ownership, but a W-2 would be a good start. Your life completely depends on the Gov paycheck? Then you are not allowed to vote for someone who promises you a pay raise.
More and more of my friends are looking into the affordable health care thing... basically what they are finding is it is only affordable to those who make no, or very little money. Anyone who makes a decent living is going to see much higher prices
-
A friend of mine who only carried catastrophic coverage received his 2014 premium notice on October 1. It stated his premium was going from $115/mo to $239/mo. He claims there will be no change in coverage.
I have not seen what is going to happen to my coverage. I work for a large company that is self insured and uses Aetna to administer the policies.
-
And this is what happens when u let idiots vote, when u give the keys to the cookie jar to the fat kids, when people are able to make laws that dont apply to them.
has everyone read. "Animal Farm" if not read it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_Farm (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_Farm)
it will only get worse, and the real issue, is our kids and their kids will suffer more than us.
All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others
-
And this is what happens when u let idiots vote, when u give the keys to the cookie jar to the fat kids, when people are able to make laws that dont apply to them.
has everyone read. "Animal Farm" if not read it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_Farm (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_Farm)
it will only get worse, and the real issue, is our kids and their kids will suffer more than us.
All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others
Nice
-
Well, my dad emailed our insurance guy today and he just replied about our monthly payments.
we pay around 500 a month now for a family of four. If he were to write us a new plan right now that would be the exact same plan as our existing plan, our monthly payments would be 1018.00 a month. That's double what we pay now.
He said we can apply to renew our plan early in December of this year, and we will save a little, but it'll still go up a tremendous amount to keep the same plan we have.
This country is falling apart.
I think Putin was accurate when he said “President Obama and his fellow Democrats are either idiots or deliberately trying to destroy their own economy.”
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free (http://tapatalk.com/m?id=1)
-
We just had a meeting with our HR department to explain what will happen to us. Our company uses Cigna. They said that all benefits will stay the same, my cost per month will only go up $17.32 per month that is, if I switch to the 60/40 plan. We have 3 different plans, 90/10, 80/20 and 60/40. the 80/20 that I have now will go away next year. So, if I choose the 90/10 I will have to pay the monthly difference, which is like $150 or more or if I go with the 60/40 the monthly cost goes up slightly but I will pay more money when I use it. Either way, there is more cost to me. The other big hit is, if you have a spouse that works for a different company and they offer an insurance plan, then that spouse cannot be on our company's plan and will be dropped.
-
We had a meeting with our agent Monday. Basically you are not a good candidate if you are young, white, good health, no smoking etc. They offered the subsidy package and my boss said hell no. He will pay as long as he can. People need to understand that this will implode itself once implemented. It is a complete joke. We are paying for scum bags to have health insurance and I bet within a few years, those same people will be using it to their advantage and getting free gold teeth or cosmetic surgery on my dime... mark my words boys.
-
Yep. People keep defending the program saying prices wont go up and you can get subsidy.... but you can only get the subsidy if you don't make money! Again the working class is getting screwed to pay for the non working class
-
//wav// Merica...
-
this is what really gets me pissed.
To have barricaded the WW2 vets, but allow illegal aliens privilege.. This President is a true abomination! saw this tweet. and i could not agree more.
-
The barricades to a normally open air, non restricted monument is what gets me... spending money to close something is a load of BS but the current admin is great at spending our tax dollars
-
... Don't get me started on that piece of shiz... who the hell says you can't go to a memorial, walk outdoors??!! F the administration and all who believe obuttcrap was the right choice!
-
//agree//
-
Guys guys guys, you can't blame it on Obama alone. All of congress is at fault here. All of your representatives that claim they are there for their constituents. Each Senator that each state is represented by. Each House rep that is voted into office. And ultimately each and everyone one of the Non-Working shats that believe they are entitled to other people's money because they are too effing lazy to get a job and work their way up. But ultimately, it's our fault too, because we have sat around and waited too long to stand up and say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
Obama had a good plan in mind when he was campaigning. WE NEED CHANGE. what we need to do is stop allowing the minority to dictate what the law will be for the masses, and I don't mean racial minority, I mean the few that are bitching about not getting their way. We need to figure out that not everyone will be happy. So if you are the minority, and you are not happy, then you change your ways. If you don't like something, then go do something else. Instead, what we have allowed is for the minority group to band together and say something is unconstitutional, and then the judicial system changes it, and now the majority has to suffer because of the change.
I can go on and on about this. But if you really want this to end, we, the people who work their asses off to earn a good living, need to band together and stop it. Take some accountability, cause you know Congress won't.
-
The other big hit is, if you have a spouse that works for a different company and they offer an insurance plan, then that spouse cannot be on our company's plan and will be dropped.
Been that way for every place I have worked for the past 15 years.
-
Guys guys guys, you can't blame it on Obama alone. All of congress is at fault here. All of your representatives that claim they are there for their constituents. Each Senator that each state is represented by. Each House rep that is voted into office. And ultimately each and everyone one of the Non-Working shats that believe they are entitled to other people's money because they are too effing lazy to get a job and work their way up. But ultimately, it's our fault too, because we have sat around and waited too long to stand up and say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
Obama had a good plan in mind when he was campaigning. WE NEED CHANGE. what we need to do is stop allowing the minority to dictate what the law will be for the masses, and I don't mean racial minority, I mean the few that are bitching about not getting their way. We need to figure out that not everyone will be happy. So if you are the minority, and you are not happy, then you change your ways. If you don't like something, then go do something else. Instead, what we have allowed is for the minority group to band together and say something is unconstitutional, and then the judicial system changes it, and now the majority has to suffer because of the change.
I can go on and on about this. But if you really want this to end, we, the people who work their asses off to earn a good living, need to band together and stop it. Take some accountability, cause you know Congress won't.
I agreed up until "Obama had a good plan in mind when he was campaigning. WE NEED CHANGE." Neither the dems or reps are worth a shiz anymore and the change he spoke of was not intended to help the U.S. citizens. Ok, I got to quit now. //OLDSKOOL//
-
I say again if term limits were put in place we wouldn't have a lot of the problems we have. The re election process has a trickle down effect that influences everything. It shouldn't cost millions of dollars to run for and be elected to office. Take the re election component out of a political office and you change the mind set of people who are in office. All this time they stand in front of tv cameras trying to blame the other party should be spent with their ass's in a room coming to an agreement. They damn sure haven't spent this much time trying to rebuild the industries that once supported this country. If they will get people back to work at a decent paying job and hold the insurance industry accountable for their part in this B.S. we wouldn't be having this conversation. To many of them are getting rich from the inside info they have access to. If you and I were to have the same access and acted upon it it would be called insider trading and we would be doing time at the Federal Pen. It's very easy for one group of people to make rules and regs for another group if they don't have to live by the same rules and regs. //rtft//
-
Guys guys guys, you can't blame it on Obama alone. All of congress is at fault here. All of your representatives that claim they are there for their constituents. Each Senator that each state is represented by. Each House rep that is voted into office. And ultimately each and everyone one of the Non-Working shats that believe they are entitled to other people's money because they are too effing lazy to get a job and work their way up. But ultimately, it's our fault too, because we have sat around and waited too long to stand up and say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
Obama had a good plan in mind when he was campaigning. WE NEED CHANGE. what we need to do is stop allowing the minority to dictate what the law will be for the masses, and I don't mean racial minority, I mean the few that are bitching about not getting their way. We need to figure out that not everyone will be happy. So if you are the minority, and you are not happy, then you change your ways. If you don't like something, then go do something else. Instead, what we have allowed is for the minority group to band together and say something is unconstitutional, and then the judicial system changes it, and now the majority has to suffer because of the change.
I can go on and on about this. But if you really want this to end, we, the people who work their asses off to earn a good living, need to band together and stop it. Take some accountability, cause you know Congress won't.
I agreed up until "Obama had a good plan in mind when he was campaigning. WE NEED CHANGE." Neither the dems or reps are worth a shiz anymore and the change he spoke of was not intended to help the U.S. citizens. Ok, I got to quit now. //OLDSKOOL//
Now, that's not what I said. I stated that Obama had a good plan on his campaign. That we need change. I never said that his plan would work for the US. Just that we need change.
-
not implying that. Just being sarcastic.
-
Obana had a good plan? We needed change?
Do you mean the campaign lies about its unpatriotic not to balance the budget, he would have an open transparent administration and so on? All lies to fool the uninformed and get elected. The voting base is so ignorant to government and fiscal responsibility it is sad, and a testament to our government schools and the education they provide.
BS to we needed change. This country was fine and we could have insured all of the uninsured for a very small fraction of this ridiculous bill.
What about self responsibility?
Don't blame obama? You are partly right. It was the democrat house and Senate at the time.too. They screwed us bad.
Flame off lol
Sent off camber now Free (http://'http://tapatalk.com/m?id=10')
-
My flame is never off when discussing this trash... preach on!
Off Grid Post
-
You guys are missing my sarcasm. I'm not saying Obama's plan was good, I'm saying that his campaign about change was correct. We needed change. Just not what we have gotten. If you think the fiscal policy and monetary policy were fine before Obama took office, then you have not been paying much attention. We needed change even before he took office, we needed a monetary policy change years ago. Being in a deficit in the trillions is not the right policy. And yet, even before he took office, we kept increasing our debt ceiling. During Clinton's administration, our govt shut down. Where was our monetary policy then. We needed change then too. Foreign aid given to countries that allied against the US. Even if we had a suspicion that they were assisting terrorists, we should have cut them off. Increasing welfare recipients, cause that has worked out so far. Congress kept voting themselves raises when our govt was broke and yet they kept cutting income has salaries for our troops. I can continue but it's late. I'm not disagreeing with anyone. What we currently have in office is nothing less than really bad nightmare. And the end does not seem to be in sight.
-
^^ //iws//
I get what you're saying.
I'd take the Clinton years over the last two clowns...any day. At the time, I thought it was shameful that Clinton messed around on Hillary...today I'd pay for his entertainment.
-
I was no fan of Clinton but if (big IF) I remember correctly the government was in the black his second term. Now our military and surveillance agencies took a huge hit to balance the budget ,but it was balanced. A lot of the history I've read about 911 and what led up to it and our lack of info to stop that action is contributed to this lack of physical assets on the ground in key areas due lack of funding. Huge price to pay, one I wouldn't want to pay again.
Gentleman we find ourselves in a huge cluster f*&^% and I don't think we have the people in office willing to do what needs to be done to correct it. They are quite happy with the current S.N.A.F.U.
I say impeach them all or fire them for lack of performance. I've had employees who were decent workers showed up on time most of the time,easy to get along with ,but when the real work came along and the company needed them to perform at a higher level they couldn't be counted on and if I can't count on you I don't need you. Same with this bunch,our nation is and has been in a (need to perform) status for some time now and they are not getting the job done. Their job is to keep us out of the very situation they have lead us into, A nonworking government
-
Yes it was balanced by a republican congress
Sent off camber now Free (http://'http://tapatalk.com/m?id=10')
-
That's all I have to say! //LMAO// //LMAO//
[attachment deleted by admin - older than 465 days]
-
//agree//
-
Obama = socialist piece of shit….
-
Obama = socialist piece of shit….
//worship//
-
Yes it was balanced by a republican congress
Sent off camber now Free (http://'http://tapatalk.com/m?id=10')
That's what I thought Doug. Like I said no fan of Clinton
-
Clinton understood that leaving the financial house is disarray was bad for America, so he was able to deal with a conservative congress. Compared to the last two presidents, Clinton was more fiscally conservative. His fiscal intelligence trumped his bleeding heart liberalism. His main problem was being a sex addict and a liar.
In hind sight (yep I voted for the first clown...twice) I'd replace the last two presidents with Clinton.
Oh well, 4 more years until we get another liberal in the White House...and probably one that doesn't understand the long term importance of national debt elimination.
-
What a bunch of lying dirt-bags....
http://investigations.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/10/28/21213547-obama-admin-knew-millions-could-not-keep-their-health-insurance?lite
Obama admin. knew millions could not keep their health insurance
Buried in Obamacare regulations from July 2010 is an estimate that because of normal turnover in the individual insurance market, “40 to 67 percent” of customers will not be able to keep their policy. And because many policies will have been changed since the key date, “the percentage of individual market policies losing grandfather status in a given year exceeds the 40 to 67 percent range.”
-
What's funny is there is a large group (you all know who they are) who still support this dirt-bag, they dont want to admit, they made a huge mistake, yes a faction are just blind and raciest but hay, hate to burst the bubbles of those elite lib-tards but u can be a minority and be raciest also.
the double standard in this country is growing at an alarming rate, and the number of so called "educated" people that drink the cool-aid of the media should cause us to stop and take note.
but its been prov-en over the years, when the government gets involved they screw stuff up, there are few exception's.
I am ordering more "Obama Sucks" bumper stickers. sure driving thru dekalb i get the finger, but hay, its about telling the truth. and thats how i feel.
-
Don't hold back, Kent. Tell us how you really feel. //;D// //phantomskull//
-
Don't hold back, Kent. Tell us how you really feel. //;D// //phantomskull//
im sorry, i need to stop reading stuff in the morning when im soo strung out on coffee. //:hlp//
-
The wrecking ball swung again toward the crumbling Obamacare edifice yesterday.
Ironically, it continues to be the Obama administration that is operating the heavy machinery.
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced, in the form of a letter to Democratic senators, that
Obamacare's individual mandate tax will be waived in 2014 for persons who had their policies canceled in 2013 due to Obamacare.
At this point, after months of on-the-fly pronouncements, delays, and exemptions (often announced, not coincidentally, in the days just before a major national holiday), perhaps nothing should surprise us anymore about Obamacare's disastrous rollout.
But yesterday's announcement is still startling because of what it says about the state of the president's signature domestic legislation.
The law is falling apart before our eyes.
Sent off camber
-
Obama Repeals ObamaCare
Under pressure from Senate Democrats, the President partly suspends the individual mandate.
Editorial board member Joe Rago on the new health-care law's latest delay—
a temporary mandate exemption for those with canceled plans.
It seems Nancy Pelosi was wrong when she said "we have to pass" ObamaCare to "find out what's in it." No one may ever know because the White House keeps treating the Affordable Care Act's text as a mere suggestion subject to day-to-day revision. Its latest political retrofit is the most brazen: President Obama is partly suspending the individual mandate.
The White House argued at the Supreme Court that the insurance-purchase mandate was not only constitutional but essential to the law's success, while refusing Republican demands to delay or repeal it. But late on Thursday, with only four days to go before the December enrollment deadline, the Health and Human Services Department decreed that millions of Americans are suddenly exempt.
Individuals whose health plans were canceled will now automatically qualify for a "hardship exemption" from the mandate. If they can't or don't sign up for a new plan, they don't have to pay the tax. They can also get a special category of ObamaCare insurance designed for people under age 30.
***
So merry Christmas. If ObamaCare's benefit and income redistribution requirements made your old, cheaper, better health plan illegal, you now have the option of going without coverage without the government taking your money as punishment. You can also claim the tautological consolation of an ObamaCare hardship exemption due to ObamaCare itself.
These exemptions were supposed to go only to the truly destitute such as the homeless, bankrupts or victims of domestic violence. But this week a group of six endangered Senate Democrats importuned HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to "clarify" that the victims of ObamaCare also qualify. An excerpt from their Wednesday letter, whose signatories include New Hampshire's Jeanne Shaheen and Virginia's Mark Warner, is nearby.
HHS and the Senators must have coordinated in advance because literally overnight HHS rushed out a bulletin noting that exemptions are available to those who "experienced financial or domestic circumstances, including an unexpected natural or human-caused event, such that he or she had a significant, unexpected increase in essential expenses that prevented him or her from obtaining coverage under a qualified health plan." A tornado destroys the neighborhood or ObamaCare blows up the individual insurance market, what's the difference?
The HHS ruling is that ObamaCare is precisely such a "significant, unexpected increase." In other words, it is an admission that rate shock is real and the mandates drive up costs well into hardship territory. HHS is agreeing with the Senators that exemptions should cover "an individual whose 2013 plan was canceled and considers their new premium unaffordable." In her reply letter, Mrs. Sebelius also observes that some people "are having difficulty finding an acceptable replacement." She means the new plans are overpriced.
The under-30 ObamaCare category that is being opened to everyone is called "catastrophic" coverage. These plans are still more expensive than those sold on the former market but they're about 20% cheaper on average than normal exchange plans because fewer mandates apply and they're priced for a healthier, younger risk pool. Liberal Democrats hated making even this concession when they wrote the law, so people who pick catastrophic plans don't get subsidies.
What an incredible political turnabout. Mr. Obama and HHS used to insist that the new plans are better and less expensive after subsidies than the old "substandard" insurance. Now they're conceding that at least some people should be free to choose less costly plans if they prefer—or no plan—and ObamaCare's all-you-can-eat benefits rules aren't necessary for quality health coverage after all.
But the White House is shredding ObamaCare's economics on its own terms. Premiums for catastrophic products are based on the assumption that enrollees would be under 30. A 55-year-old will now get a steep discount on care courtesy of the insurer's balance sheet, while other risk-tiers on the exchanges will have even fewer customers to make the actuarial math work.
Pulling the thread of the individual mandate also means that the whole scheme could unravel. Waiving ObamaCare rules for some citizens and continuing to squeeze the individual economic liberties of others by forcing them to buy what the White House now concedes is an unaffordable product is untenable. Mr. Obama is inviting a blanket hardship amnesty for everyone, which is what Republicans should demand.
The new political risk that the rules are liable to change at any moment will also be cycled into 2015 premiums. Expect another price spike late next summer. With ObamaCare looking like a loss-making book of business, a public declaration of penance by the insurance industry for helping to sell ObamaCare is long overdue.
The only political explanation for relaxing enforcement of the individual mandate—even at the risk of destabilizing ObamaCare in the long term—is that the White House is panicked that the whole entitlement is endangered. The insurance terminations and rollout fiasco could leave more people uninsured in 2014 than in 2013. ObamaCare's unpopularity with the public could cost Democrats the Senate in 2014, and a GOP Congress in 2015 could compel the White House to reopen the law and make major changes.
Republicans ought to prepare for that eventuality with insurance reforms beyond the "repeal" slogan, but they can also take some vindication in Thursday's reversal. Mr. Obama's actions are as damning about ObamaCare as anything Senator Ted Cruz has said, and they implicitly confirm that the law is quarter-baked and harmful. Mr. Obama is doing through executive fiat what Republicans shut down the government to get him to do.
***
The President declared at his Friday press conference that the exemptions "don't go to the core of the law," but in fact they belong to his larger pattern of suspending the law on his own administrative whim. Earlier this month he ordered insurers to backdate policies to compensate for the federal exchange meltdown, and before that HHS declared that it would not enforce for a year the mandates responsible for policy cancellations. Mr. Obama's team has also by fiat abandoned the small-business exchanges, delayed the employer mandate and scaled back income verification.
"The basic structure of that law is working, despite all the problems," Mr. Obama added. His make-it-up-as-he-goes improvisation will continue, because the law is failing.
Sent off camber
-
Some people are more optimistic then other people.
-
I can think of a few better words for him than "Mr. Obama".
-
Why the f*%k have we not impeached this socialist son of a bitch?
-
Democracy?
-
Why the f*%k have we not impeached this socialist son of a bitch?
//agree//
-
Which offense or offensives have been impeachable for President Obama?
-
Are you serious are creating debate? :-)
Great question. Impeachable offenses by historical standards or by constitutional standards?
He has far out stepped the presidential powers granted by the constitution and no one is doing anything about it and won't.
http://www.impeachobamacampaign.com/25-reasons-to-impeach-obama/
http://www.infowars.com/100-reasons-to-impeach-barack-obama/2/
Like
1. Appointment of a “shadow government” of some 35+ individuals termed “czars” who are not confirmed by the Senate and respond only to the president, yet have overarching regulatory powers – a clear violation of the separation of powers concept. Obama bypassed the Senate with many of his appointments of over 35 “czars.”
2. No congressional support for Libyan action (violation of the War Powers Act ). Obama lied to the American people when he said that there were no US troops on the ground in Libya and then later said they were only “logistical troops.” Obama violated the War Powers Act of 1973 by conducting a war against Libya without Congressional authorization.
3. Betraying of allies ( Israel and Great Britain. Obama has placed the security of our most trusted ally in the Middle East, Israel, in danger while increasing funding to the Palestinian Authority (Fatah, just another Islamic terrorist group) whilst they have enjoined a reconciliation pact with long-standing terrorist group Hamas and the disclosure of British nuclear secrets to the Russians in the Start Treaty. Obama gave missile codes to British Trident missiles to Russia.
4. Backdoor implementation of the DREAM Act which would grant 22 million illegals amnesty. Obama passed the Dream Act through an executive order, bypassing Congress again. DREAM is: Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors
5. Telegraphing troop reductions to enemies – against the consult of his experienced field commanders – while embracing negotiations with our enemy, the Taliban, and recognizing another, the Muslim Brotherhood.
6. Betrayal of Arizona. Obama brought a federal lawsuit against a sovereign state, Arizona, seeking to protect its citizens from this threat of mass illegal immigration
7. Obama's Failure to enforce U.S. law, the Defense of Marriage Act. He's stripped America of its moral base by his support for homosexuality and the attack on marriage between a man and a women Obama allows the DOJ to refuse to enforce the Defense of Marriage Act.
8. Support of an inept and incompetent attorney general who has failed to prosecute voter intimidation cases (New Black Panther Party), initiated a dangerous gun-smuggling program (Operation Fast and Furious) – which resulted in deaths to one of our own law enforcement agents.
Obama allowed Operation Fast and Furious to occur, which allowed hundreds of Mexican nationals and Border Agent Brian Terry to be murdered with illegal arms given out by the ATF and DOJ.
9. Increasing the regulatory burden on American business through bypassing the legislative process with his executive branch agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration.
10. Failure to take the steps necessary to secure our borders and stem the flow of illegal immigration, termed as “repel invasions” in our United States Constitution in Article 1, Section 8 and Article 4, Section 4.
Obama has failed to defend US soil in Arizona as Mexican troops bring illegals and drugs into the USA, crossing the border doing so. This is a direct violation of Article IV, Section 4 of the Constitution.
11. Inappropriately commanding the release of strategic oil reserves and providing Brazil $2 billion for its offshore oil exploration.
Sent off camber
-
;)
Off Grid Post
-
Stella Paul has exposed the virtually unnoticed fact that within the ObamaCare exchanges so many Americans are being forced into, "most plans only provide local medical coverage."
Read More At Investor's Business Daily: http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials-obama-care/121813-683475-obamacare-interferes-with-residential-and-travel-liberties.htm#ixzz2pApMJVNI
Sent off camber
-
http://www.ijreview.com/2014/09/178382-new-cbo-report-explains-democrat-running-obamacare-fall/#PrettyPhoto[178382]/1/
(http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/09/16/c0d3ec1c55ef078ebb0bf785c771878a.jpg)
-
10,535 pages of Obama Care condensed to 4 sentences
Nice summary by a Purdue engineer. Here are the 10,535 pages of ObamaCare condensed to 4 sentences.
As humorous as this sounds.....every last word of it is true.
1. In order to insure the uninsured, we first have to uninsure the insured.
2. Next, we require the newly uninsured to be re-insured.
3. To re-insure the newly uninsured, they are required to pay extra charges
to be re-insured.
4. The extra charges are required so that the original insured, who became
uninsured, and then became re-insured, can pay enough extra so that the
original uninsured can be insured, which will be free of charge to them.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is called "redistribution of wealth" ...
or, by its more common name, SOCIALISM.