Received on 11/21/09
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Showing posts with label taxes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label taxes. Show all posts
Monday, November 23, 2009
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
The Big Speech - Part 4
This is a lot of blog-fodder. I'm still ranting about Obama's health care speech and there's a whole lot of things happening. Max Baucus trotted out his groups efforts today and the nation is trying to digest what he said.
What frustrates me about all these efforts so far is that there is always a penalty of some sort for not buying health insurance. We're spending all this effort to force every American to dedicate 8% to 9% of their hard-earned income to their health insurance. So if I was one of those who simply couldn't afford health insurance how am I supposed to continue to live on 8% less income? Now let's consider if my employer is forced to pay for my health insurance. Maybe my company now has to downsize in order to pay the extra costs and, if I'm lucky enough not to be laid off, my company takes part of my salary to pay for my insurance and I still get taxed on the rest that they pay for me. No matter how this ends, I have less money in my pocket. That's less money I can use to buy all those frivilous things like bread, milk, and eggs.
When will our politicians learn that they can't force me to spend my money. If I am forced to spend my money then I'm missing freedoms. Taxes are a necessary evil to keep our government running and I still have a bone to pick with the percentage. I say we're paying way too much for a government that only knows how to bloat. Give me leadership, protect my freedoms, protect our lands, what more do we need to pay for? Our country went off the trail of greatness when politicians realized the government was a potential gold mine if we only figured out how to get the people to pay for it.
By the way, what kind of trouble do you suppose I would get in if I refused to pay taxes because I disagreed with the way those taxes were being spent? It drives me nuts that my tax money goes to pay for abortions, prostitution, and the support of every sin known to man. What's worse, those taxes also go to pay for the same things in other countries. That's MY MONEY!!! I would never walk into an abortion clinic and offer to pay for the next fifty abortions. I would never do a lot of things my government does with my money. It disgusts me. When does my government stop being my government? They say I don't have to agree, I just have to pay for it whether I do or don't.
Yes, I'm unhappy and I've lost faith in my government. Am I going to start stockpiling ammunition? Of course not. I still love life. When the government takes that away, then I'll fight.
Okay, on to a couple of Obama's quotes.
Quote #11: " We will place a limit on how much you can be charged for out-of- pocket expenses, because in the United States of America, no one should go broke because they get sick."
This is a nice sentiment. Of course most insurance plans already have a way of covering this issue. This is nothing new. The idea of limiting the amount will just fix the costs and limit the plans. The general rule is: the more you pay each month, the less you pay when you're sick. So I'm not sure how limits are going to help. Besides, losing a few thousand dollars is much better than losing a few hundred thousand dollars and forfeiting any chance you have of the future.
By the way, where do non-profit hospitals fit into all this? As we begin to fix all these things are we going to kill the system of donations to non-profit hospitals that helps pay for those who can't cover the costs? My own father can testify to having a very large hospital bill forgiven because he couldn't pay after a heart attack. Much of that money to pay those bills happened because of a non-profit hospital with private donors. I haven't heard anyone bring this issue up and I think the non-profit hospitals are going to get hard by all this. Why donate to a hospital if the government is guaranteeing it instead? We're going to give up health care to our government just like we gave up education.
Quote #12: "And insurance companies will be required to cover, with no extra charge, routine checkups and preventive care, like mammograms and colonoscopies."
That would be nice but everything Obama says adds more cost on the insurance company. That cost has to be passed on at some point. What we keep hearing are hints that the government is going to essentially fix the profit levels for insurance companies. They're going to be taxed more and they're going to have to pay more. The company will have to make less money. This will have an impact on stocks and there will be a lot of negative changes happening in the companies. Top executives will be in lower number as the insurance companies go to younger and less-experienced executives that will command lesser salaries just to keep some semblance of a profit margin. Some companies will simply sell out of the business and we'll see a consolidation of big companies that are big enough to still make a profit. Or, perhaps, we'll get a new Mae or Mac added into the government holdings as it becomes increasingly necessary for the government to begin guaranteeing health insurance policies.
Currently most insurance plans are going to cover these procedures with a small co-pay. It's out of pocket but it's not usually going to break the bank or cause long-term financial distress. Complete cost coverage is a nice idea for the policy-holder but not so nice on the policy-writer. Is the government going to fix the cost of these procedures so hospitals and clinics don't take advantage of the insurance companies? Is there going to be some provision for cost increases? How many hospitals and clinics will choose not to offer these services because there's no money in them?
We are a capitalist country. If there is no profit, there is no service. Who's going to pour $100 million into research for new equipment when it will take them 100 years to make that money back? I'm a small business owner. I want to give my customers great products with great service. But I'm not going to pay them for me to provide that service. I've got to charge what the service is worth. If the government is allowed to come in and fix my prices, the better fix it high enough that I won't complain and low enough that my customers don't complain. Either way, I'm going to throw it back in their face and close down my business. I like being my own boss and I refuse to allow the government to take over my company and force me to accept a new boss.
Regulate. Make it fair for the consumer as well as the company. Other than that, STAY OUT OF MY BUSINESS!!!
What frustrates me about all these efforts so far is that there is always a penalty of some sort for not buying health insurance. We're spending all this effort to force every American to dedicate 8% to 9% of their hard-earned income to their health insurance. So if I was one of those who simply couldn't afford health insurance how am I supposed to continue to live on 8% less income? Now let's consider if my employer is forced to pay for my health insurance. Maybe my company now has to downsize in order to pay the extra costs and, if I'm lucky enough not to be laid off, my company takes part of my salary to pay for my insurance and I still get taxed on the rest that they pay for me. No matter how this ends, I have less money in my pocket. That's less money I can use to buy all those frivilous things like bread, milk, and eggs.
When will our politicians learn that they can't force me to spend my money. If I am forced to spend my money then I'm missing freedoms. Taxes are a necessary evil to keep our government running and I still have a bone to pick with the percentage. I say we're paying way too much for a government that only knows how to bloat. Give me leadership, protect my freedoms, protect our lands, what more do we need to pay for? Our country went off the trail of greatness when politicians realized the government was a potential gold mine if we only figured out how to get the people to pay for it.
By the way, what kind of trouble do you suppose I would get in if I refused to pay taxes because I disagreed with the way those taxes were being spent? It drives me nuts that my tax money goes to pay for abortions, prostitution, and the support of every sin known to man. What's worse, those taxes also go to pay for the same things in other countries. That's MY MONEY!!! I would never walk into an abortion clinic and offer to pay for the next fifty abortions. I would never do a lot of things my government does with my money. It disgusts me. When does my government stop being my government? They say I don't have to agree, I just have to pay for it whether I do or don't.
Yes, I'm unhappy and I've lost faith in my government. Am I going to start stockpiling ammunition? Of course not. I still love life. When the government takes that away, then I'll fight.
Okay, on to a couple of Obama's quotes.
Quote #11: " We will place a limit on how much you can be charged for out-of- pocket expenses, because in the United States of America, no one should go broke because they get sick."
This is a nice sentiment. Of course most insurance plans already have a way of covering this issue. This is nothing new. The idea of limiting the amount will just fix the costs and limit the plans. The general rule is: the more you pay each month, the less you pay when you're sick. So I'm not sure how limits are going to help. Besides, losing a few thousand dollars is much better than losing a few hundred thousand dollars and forfeiting any chance you have of the future.
By the way, where do non-profit hospitals fit into all this? As we begin to fix all these things are we going to kill the system of donations to non-profit hospitals that helps pay for those who can't cover the costs? My own father can testify to having a very large hospital bill forgiven because he couldn't pay after a heart attack. Much of that money to pay those bills happened because of a non-profit hospital with private donors. I haven't heard anyone bring this issue up and I think the non-profit hospitals are going to get hard by all this. Why donate to a hospital if the government is guaranteeing it instead? We're going to give up health care to our government just like we gave up education.
Quote #12: "And insurance companies will be required to cover, with no extra charge, routine checkups and preventive care, like mammograms and colonoscopies."
That would be nice but everything Obama says adds more cost on the insurance company. That cost has to be passed on at some point. What we keep hearing are hints that the government is going to essentially fix the profit levels for insurance companies. They're going to be taxed more and they're going to have to pay more. The company will have to make less money. This will have an impact on stocks and there will be a lot of negative changes happening in the companies. Top executives will be in lower number as the insurance companies go to younger and less-experienced executives that will command lesser salaries just to keep some semblance of a profit margin. Some companies will simply sell out of the business and we'll see a consolidation of big companies that are big enough to still make a profit. Or, perhaps, we'll get a new Mae or Mac added into the government holdings as it becomes increasingly necessary for the government to begin guaranteeing health insurance policies.
Currently most insurance plans are going to cover these procedures with a small co-pay. It's out of pocket but it's not usually going to break the bank or cause long-term financial distress. Complete cost coverage is a nice idea for the policy-holder but not so nice on the policy-writer. Is the government going to fix the cost of these procedures so hospitals and clinics don't take advantage of the insurance companies? Is there going to be some provision for cost increases? How many hospitals and clinics will choose not to offer these services because there's no money in them?
We are a capitalist country. If there is no profit, there is no service. Who's going to pour $100 million into research for new equipment when it will take them 100 years to make that money back? I'm a small business owner. I want to give my customers great products with great service. But I'm not going to pay them for me to provide that service. I've got to charge what the service is worth. If the government is allowed to come in and fix my prices, the better fix it high enough that I won't complain and low enough that my customers don't complain. Either way, I'm going to throw it back in their face and close down my business. I like being my own boss and I refuse to allow the government to take over my company and force me to accept a new boss.
Regulate. Make it fair for the consumer as well as the company. Other than that, STAY OUT OF MY BUSINESS!!!
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Fines??? I've got better ideas
I'm trying to figure out the logic behind all these crazy health care reform options that include taxing or finding Americans for not getting mandatory health insurance. Why is there all this focus on making Americans pay money for Health Care no matter what?
It is my right to NOT buy health insurance if I can't afford or just don't want it. I regard any governmental intrusion on that right to be unconstitutional and an offense against my freedoms. It is nothing more than the government forcing something on me. That is an elimination of some more of my freedom.
The problem with all these options being put forward by democrats right now is that they are aimed at the American people, not the health insurance companies. Any increase in expense to the Health Insurance industry will eventually be passed along directly to the insured or to the government and, by proxy, all Americans. It may not happen right away but it will happen. The reason this will happen is because private health insurors are just that - private. They are trying to make money. If they can't make money, they will adjust things until they do. The more the government gets involved, the more likely the health insurors will be pushed out and we'll be forced into a government system.
I'm looking for health care reform like everyone else. But my idea of health care reform involves regulations that keep insurance companies from exploiting their clients and an end to the frauds and ridiculous litigations that plague the industry right now. Fix the insurance companies but know full well that there are other causes to sky-rocketing rates. The government already knows this but they won't put forth any options to fix those. The health insurance companies are far easier targets. And even easier targets are average Americans.
I'm tired of the rush to get this job done. Let's take it in parts so we can be sure to get each part right. I suggest we start by dealing with fraud and litigation. How do we do that? I don't really know. I'm not an expert. But I suggest we start thinking about setting up a special fraud unit within the Department of Justice to look into Medicare and Medicaid Fraud, state run fraud units to investigate and handle state and local fraud, and let's consider a number of checks to insurance and malpractice litigation. I'm thinking of state or even county level committees that have the power to allow or block litigation in cases where they do not find enough compelling evidence that it should go on to a court. We already do this with grand jury investigations for criminal cases. I don't know who should be on these boards but it should be a mix of appointments, elected officials, doctors, and hospital representation.
Do you have any thoughts?
It is my right to NOT buy health insurance if I can't afford or just don't want it. I regard any governmental intrusion on that right to be unconstitutional and an offense against my freedoms. It is nothing more than the government forcing something on me. That is an elimination of some more of my freedom.
The problem with all these options being put forward by democrats right now is that they are aimed at the American people, not the health insurance companies. Any increase in expense to the Health Insurance industry will eventually be passed along directly to the insured or to the government and, by proxy, all Americans. It may not happen right away but it will happen. The reason this will happen is because private health insurors are just that - private. They are trying to make money. If they can't make money, they will adjust things until they do. The more the government gets involved, the more likely the health insurors will be pushed out and we'll be forced into a government system.
I'm looking for health care reform like everyone else. But my idea of health care reform involves regulations that keep insurance companies from exploiting their clients and an end to the frauds and ridiculous litigations that plague the industry right now. Fix the insurance companies but know full well that there are other causes to sky-rocketing rates. The government already knows this but they won't put forth any options to fix those. The health insurance companies are far easier targets. And even easier targets are average Americans.
I'm tired of the rush to get this job done. Let's take it in parts so we can be sure to get each part right. I suggest we start by dealing with fraud and litigation. How do we do that? I don't really know. I'm not an expert. But I suggest we start thinking about setting up a special fraud unit within the Department of Justice to look into Medicare and Medicaid Fraud, state run fraud units to investigate and handle state and local fraud, and let's consider a number of checks to insurance and malpractice litigation. I'm thinking of state or even county level committees that have the power to allow or block litigation in cases where they do not find enough compelling evidence that it should go on to a court. We already do this with grand jury investigations for criminal cases. I don't know who should be on these boards but it should be a mix of appointments, elected officials, doctors, and hospital representation.
Do you have any thoughts?
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