McCain plan: Let taxpayers, not employers, subsidize health insurance premiums »
Posted by: DiffeeOnline 1 month, 3 weeks ago148 Comments Report this Story
There's a great unknown about Sen. John McCain's health plan: How many employers would drop insurance coverage for their workers because of his tax policies?
Read Full Story at rawstory.com
Join the Discussion 
+ Add Comment
Comments So Far: 148
-
0%
nikkibabe1 month, 3 weeks ago
It will be end of employer offered health coverage & COBRA. Along with family, children, driving to work and having a job, people will have to start shopping for health insurance. This is something that has to happen every year, come January as the insurance companies will only offer coverage for 12 months and has to be renewed.
Good Luck America. Vote Republican & McCain.
Reply-
0%
Natureboy1 month, 3 weeks ago
OTOH, the end of employer-offered health coverage would be a great boon - How many people currently work at a low-paying, mind-deadening job not for the money but simply for health coverage? If the provision of health coverage were not through employers, I would venture to guess that we would see a great leap in entrepreneurship, small business start-ups, etc.
Don't get me wrong, the McCain plan still reeks, but it would be great to take employers out of the equation.
Reply-
0%
buckncindykill1 month, 3 weeks ago
I agree! Move away from employer-provided policies. Let's move to a system where all health insurance policies are privately owned. What happens then? We go out and we comparison shop for those policies ... and competition enters the picture. We also learn that we, not our employer and not the government, are responsible for our health care.
Reply -
0%
dan_011 month, 3 weeks ago
I see some major concerns. My employer has a page on our payroll website that breaks down our non-monetary benefits; such as health care, dental, life insurance, etc. They show the monetary value of each; then total them up to show us our "total compensation" as an employee. The health care cost is a pretty healthy percentage. In other words, we are supposed to consider this as part of our pay. If the cost of health care goes up, we are expected to consider that a raise if the employer absorbs it.
Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not complaining. My problem is the McCain plan. He proposes removing the responsibility for health care from the employer and having the employee buy it using a tax credit. I see this as saying I will be taking a pay cut; which is a huge benefit to businesses. The insurance will then be paid with money the government took from me in taxes. Any overage will have to come from my pocket, further reducing my income.
Reply
-
0%
Goppy1 month, 3 weeks ago
I think the thing that is so remarkable about John McCain's health care plan is that ... JOHN MCCAIN wouldn't qualify ... FOR HIS OWN PLAN!
With his pre-existing cancerous sityation ... NO private insurance company would bother covering him.
Good thing he's got a Socialized Medicine plan. In fact, ALL the Republican Legislators who have fought SO VALIANTLY against Middle Class access to affordable Health Care seem to ABSOLUTELY LOVE Goverment Sponsored Socialized Medical Plans.
Reply -
-
0%
Goppy1 month, 3 weeks ago
Actually, employee provided health benefits have been ON THE RISE for as long as I can remember ... which is a very long tiem.
What you prolally meant to say (if you were an honest American) is that Companies are requirin their employees to shoulder an ever-increasing portion of the cost.
But I hear ya! As you are a Christian Conservative ... as you have frequently pointed out ... you express the ESSENTIAL Christian Conservative voice of ALWAYS standin up for Corporations and RELISHIN every opportunity to point out that Middle Class Americans DONT DESERVE NUTHIN ...
... NUTHIN but pain and sacrifice ... so that the Politically Connected Wealthy get every Special Consideration and every possible Handout.
Reply
-
-
-
-
0%
rimbaud1 month, 3 weeks ago
The problems that need to be solved by the next President do not lend themselves to too many alternative solutions. I think you will find both candidates coming closer and closer to each other in their proposed solutions... or, they can continue to postpone facing-up to the problems and continue with Bush-3. Eventually, the economy will self-adjust.
Reply
-
-
0%
mrbs1 month, 3 weeks ago
well at least it not an if your in America your covered plan.it sort of addresses the problems of illegals that drain the system in that sense.also it seems you dont HAVE to buy a policy. theres no reason why i should have one if i dont want one.would prefer to see health savings accounts pushed just so that everybody sees the costs of everything and understands it.if everybody had to pay their own it would no longer be free and they would revolt.it would bring cost back into line.getting rid of insurance that way would also get rid of the massive infrastructure of people that just sit there and push the paper back and forth to make sure that everything was allowed by the policy.
Reply-
0%
cptnkrk1 month, 3 weeks ago
HSA's are a good plan. I have used one for several years and even with a number of health problems (wife's not mine) we are ahead of where we would have been w/o the plan.
If you actually look at a bill and have to pay it out of pocket you make different choices in healthcare.
Most docs and hospitals give you a big break if youare paying cash. (the same break they give the ins. co.'s but you get to keep the rest)
Reply-
0%
browntiger1 month, 3 weeks ago
My employer offers HSA's as well as regular plans.
Explain to me how is that HSA any good?
Regular plan employer claims to deposit $9000 for me and my family I have to put down $2900. HSA employer will deposit - $2000/year. I would have to work for 10 years and not use any medical to accumulate $20,000. And this is still ridiculously low compare to max coverage of $160,000 provided by regular insurance.
With regular plan I have write-offs about 50%. HSA - 130% payment - good luck getting discounted to the likes of BlueCross&Shield. Are you going to negotiate with every doctor, nurse, lab?. The only good for employer part of HSA is if employee leaves or fired employer will keep my HSA.
Wow!
Reply
-
-
-
-
-
0%
miklkit1 month, 3 weeks ago
The system we have is the employers contribute their share to our plan. The one we choose because it serves us best, not them. We use the same system for our retirement plan. Last year we fired both of the outfits working for us. And because we work together for this we get a better economy of scale rates as well.
Reply
-
-
0%
automan9091 month, 3 weeks ago
I do see what Obama has to offer and I don't like it one bit.
Socialism, higher taxes, more baby killing, more government telling me what to do and how to do it. No thanks.
I want less government in my life and capitalism has worked so far. If you have the will to succeed in this country then anything is possible. Under socialism nobody can live the dream because you are taxed to death to pay for the big government programs.
Reply-
0%
bubba21 month, 3 weeks ago
"Less government" is what will cause your taxes to skyrocket and your income to deteriorate.
The "outsourcing" of our government by the Bush administration has pushed the envelope on our national debt, especially all of the NO BID contracts.
When Bush took office, the national debt was 4-5 Trillion - now it is NINE TRILLION. How do you think that will be paid off? Not be "less" government.
You want less baby-killing? If you cut out government programs like social services, you will see more babies dying AFTER they come out of the womb.
You want EVERY unborn baby brought into the world, but how do you expect they will ALL be taken care of? Who will ensure that they have adequate health care, food, clothing, shelter, decent parents (biological or not), protection from abuse and assault and death, and a decent education?
Don't bring up "baby killing" unless you have a solution for EVERY baby AFTER it pops out of the womb!
Reply -
0%
jaxguy1 month, 3 weeks ago
people like you should have to take a test in order to vote becuase you have NO idea what you're talking about and will probably vote based on a 30 second propaganda advertisment.
Reply -
0%
mesodude1 month, 3 weeks ago
"Socialism, higher taxes, more baby killing, more government telling me what to do and how to do it. No thanks."
--We already have "socialism." We also already have healthcare rationing and lots of Iraqi baby killing (but cons just cluck their teeth and say stuff like "collateral damage" blah blah). Oh...And Bush gave cons the biggest government in history (and I seem to remember you re-elected him). LOL...So shaddap. You're not making sense.
Reply-
0%
rightfromwrong1 month, 3 weeks ago
The USA has is not a socialist country ... it is run by corporate fascism for the rich ans super rich. No is no democracy in the USA. It is all a scam. WAKE UP!!!!
9/11 was an inside job. There were no WMD and there was no Saddam affiliation with Al Qaeda.
Reply
-
-
-
0%
jaxguy1 month, 3 weeks ago
McCain has no plan and soesn't understand the crisis in health care. All he is saying is that he will give tax breaks that's it. There is no dialouge about health care, nothing. His tax plan is ridiculous as well, many of the people who don't have insurance don't pay taxes, they get a refund already. Health insurance has outpaced inflation for years and is becomig out of reach for many middle-class americans. Bringing taxes into the solution is lip service, nothing more.
Reply-
0%
BB641 month, 3 weeks ago
So let me get this straight. You're complaining about a tax benefit not helping someone who doesn't pay taxes. On healthcare costs, here's a novel idea, stop covering the illegal aliens. You have over 15,000,000 that we know of, who are covered by our Medicaid plan. Remove them and you will see a drop in hospital care. You want more? Cap what lawyers can steal, I mean earn from their clients lawsuits. I think patients should be protected but it's time to start capping lawyers fees. Everyone worries about the CEO pay scales, why don't we require lawyers publishing their take home pay like we do publicly help corporations? Mine is published, why don't they share?
Reply-
0%
saintetienne1 month, 3 weeks ago
"Everyone worries about the CEO pay scales, why don't we require lawyers publishing their take home pay like we do publicly held corporations? Mine is published, why don't they share?"
Exactly, BB.
It boggles my mind how everybody is so concerned about CEO's salaries and corporate profits, yet turn a blind eye to the filthy leachers... I mean, lawyers, who take astronomical fees from people, and celebrities, who earn stratospheric salaries. And let me remind everyone that CEOs and corporations EMPLOY people, provide NEEDED SERVICES and pay TAXES. Lawyers and celebutards are in it for themselves, and contribute little to NOTHING back into society.
When was the last time Alec Baldwin employed hundreds of people, covered their healthcare, provided a needed service and paid big corporate taxes? NEVER, that's when.
Reply
-
-
-
0%
slate1 month, 3 weeks ago
I have a Health Savings Plan; it makes me looks for deals. I tell my doctor in advance that I have a high deductible and want a decent price for services. It also keeps me involved and asks the Doctor if all the tests are truly necessary or not. Yeah I have to pay for the visit which has a reduced rate through my Insurance provider. I also have no premium, my company puts $1,000 a year in my plan and I put about the same amount my premiums would have been in the account.
Reply-
0%
slate1 month, 3 weeks ago
Drawbacks are paying out of pocket is expensive, but it does make you think before you go to the doctor, thus reducing going for minor things.
Pluses are, you get a cost free general health exam every two years. The plan is your own money, if you reach retirement age the money is yours and is treated like a 401K. You can invest money in your account over I think 2,000.
This is the first year for me to use this so I can't grade it as of yet, however, it seems to be ok. My only worry is any major thing coming up.
Does anyone here have it long enough to give their opinion on the HSA?
Reply-
0%
cptnkrk1 month, 3 weeks ago
I love mine. I am self employed and ins. is ridiculously expensive that way. I bought a catastrophic policy and bank the rest as a sort of pay as you go plan.
I found that looking around a little bit and not going to the doc for a sniffle saves a LOT of money.
Most Doc's are willing to work with you on this plan as far as costs go.
Reply -
0%
mesodude1 month, 3 weeks ago
"Drawbacks are paying out of pocket is expensive, but it does make you think before you go to the doctor, thus reducing going for minor things."
--But trying to decide if a situation warrants medical attention shouldn't be clouded by anxiety about what it's going to cost you. You're not really making an informed, unbiased decision. You're making a decision under duress.
Reply
-
-
-
0%
Skeptic1 month, 3 weeks ago
Check out http://www.ehealthinsurance.com/ before complaining about the cost of insurance. According to the article, the monthly cost to the employee for an employer sponsored plan is $302.50, the balance of the monthly premium of $705.83 is picked up by the employer. The reason employer sponsored plans are expensive is that the insurance company cannot underwrite the policy on an individual basis and must take all employees, regardless of individual or family health history. Further, employers are not permitted to use health considerations as a basis of employment.
Younger, healthy employees subsidize the health insurance of older employees.
As to the idea that coverage in an individual plan must be renewed each year, yes that is true, but renewal is automatic as long as premiums are paid on time. Further, premiums cannot be raised on an individual basis. They can be raised due to age as a class or increased medical costs for the population as a whole.
Reply
