Supreme Court upholds healthcare law

[longbskt]

They state that the individual mandate is considered a TAX.

 

[Hanzel]

Even though the Obama administration claimed it was not a tax.   Looks like Joe the plumber was right

[jakematic]

Oh the irony - just listened to JM talk about how the Greek socialized healthcare has fallen apart.

Does all this remind anyone else of the Soviet Union ? 

[eyeofthestorm]

Does all this remind anyone else of the Soviet Union ? 

<raises hand>

[jakematic]

The ethicality and constitutionality of it aside, the good news is now we know what "it" is.

Taxes can be repealed or changed....  

Edit: Just got this in an email from LVMI Why ObamaCare Will Fail: A Reading List

As Murray Rothbard wrote,

Our very real medical crisis has been the product of massive government intervention, state and federal, throughout the century; in particular, an artificial boosting of demand coupled with an artificial restriction of supply.
The result has been accelerating high prices and deterioration of patient care.
And next, socialized medicine could easily bring us to the vaunted medical status of the Soviet Union: everyone has the right to free medical care, but there is, in effect, no medicine and no care.

[BoatGuy]

Well, since Obamacare is now a tax, and since more than 60 percent of the country is against Obamacare and it was put in place by elected representatives that are supposed to do our will, it seems that after more than 200 years, we still have taxation without representation.

[Johnny-Max]

 

[rookinde]

This makes me so freaking mad...  I am very concerned for my family. I know now need to speed every thing up 10 fold.

Rook

[Ggirl]

I work i healthcare and this plan has already caused a nightmare for us. with all the rules and regs added on my job is 3 times harder than before.

[Thox Spuddy]

Do you get health insurance through your employer? If the employer pays a portion of the premium and you are receiving a deduction in income before taxes, be aware that now there will be no deduction and the total health insurance premium will be added to your income and you will pay income taxes on it.

[Ggirl]

Do you get health insurance through your employer? If the employer pays a portion of the premium and you are receiving a deduction in income before taxes, be aware that now there will be no deduction and the total health insurance premium will be added to your income and you will pay income taxes on it.

Yep, and on top of that, I had really good insurance with my last job.  One day we got a notice our rates were almost doubled with less coverage.  They sent a lettter explaining they had to raise the price due to Obama Care.  One more way the government can control and tax us.  I'm afraid this is going to break the country.  Everything is already out of control and now  this will finish us off! 

[longbskt]

So our health insurance costs that our employer pays are now going to be considered part of our income?  Wow, that's a shot in the foot.  

[jakematic]

So our health insurance costs that our employer pays are now going to be considered part of our income?  Wow, that's a shot in the foot.  

Well.... in reality if it worked the way it *should* they would be paying you that money and/or growing the business with it.
Then you could buy on the open market and the value of insurance woud be driven up while the price went down via competition.
Then you would negotiate a rate with your doctor and pharmacy - just like I do.

But what do I know, I'm just a silly capitalist 

I used to work closely with HR years ago and we would "laden" the "overhead" of per employee payroll by 100+% for "benefits".
Expect that number has gone up considerably in the last 15 years, and keep in mind some of it was unemployment and other overheads.

[BoatGuy]

Truth be known, healthcare really didn't become that expensive until insurance companies got in the middle. For everyone that, like me, avoids doctors like the plague, there are two or three that go to the emergency room for a sore throat. On top of that, putting in a middle man removes the human component that demands compassion. We had a doctor in Arkansas that came to my grandmothers house to treat me for measles as a child. Everything was paid for, when the service was provided. I know, for a fact, that he ran a tab for many people that he knew were unable to pay in full. He also adjusted his prices for people that he knew wouldn't ever be able to pay. I have no doubt that he had to write a few off. But, most people wouldn't want to po the only guy in town that might be able to help them out next time. So, the writeoff's were sure to be few.

With insurance, the doctors and hospitals generally pad their bills so high, because they know that the insurance company is not going to pay in full. In addition, the part not paid, becomes a writeoff on their taxes.

Of course, the doctors don't have it easy, either. These days, everybody wants to sue for malpractice, simply because the doctor isn't a god.

Without tort reform, the healthcare costs are NEVER going to go down, simply because they can't. And, don't make the mistake of thinking that the government is going to make it better. The only time costs have ever gone done under government controls, is when the government gives that industry subsidies and tax breaks... that WE pay for.

JMHO. YMV

[Thox Spuddy]

Union members, as well as many others who have 100% of their benefits paid for by their employer are in for a shock. On the other hand I'm sure that it was concocted that they would be exempt so as to not disturb the ruling party's voter base.