Affordable Care Act Taking Effect
Dick,
It is admirable that you saw a need and fulfilled it by providing health care for your employees. I take my hat off to you for considering your fellow country man. As the saying goes, “it takes a village”. That is so true in this case.
I have noticed the majority of opposition comes from those who have health care. These healthcare plans are often paid for by a collection of people over many years. The issue of cost is one that is always with us and it is not going away. People get sick, people are treated, and someone pays. That is the reality. The only question is who pays and when. Study after study has shown that healthcare up front is much cheaper than at the back end.
While I must admit that I know nothing about your line of business I also admit that I know something about the practice of accounting. Perhaps you need an accountant with a thorough understanding of tax accounting, one who is able to analyze your tax record and identify the cost of doing business, and then subtract that cost from the actual income to determine what your taxable rate is. Remember there are provisions for small businesses. Please see below.
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=223666,00.html
As you know the movie ticket and the L word (liberal) simply puts you in the ridiculous. Substance please?
Jerry
You make it easy for me. What is your agreement healthcare for women vs. men? It is not gender related. It is just common sense. Identify some needs, men might be considered too. You have also default to the ridiculous, as your co-harts. Ferrari, Why nota Bugatti Veyron?
Todd,
It is simple, have you ever wondered if the insurance companies did not fight against the services for women aspect of the law? Could it be that the companies were over charging you?
Judy,
You are correct. For the past 50 years, each time that someone steps up and say let’s do healthcare, the same set of people site the same reason why it should be not now. The cry cost, jurisdiction, socialized medicine, federal government over reach, not the right kind and the usual, until the effort looses it steam. Then it is allowed to die its natural death.
Not this time; it’s the law, the court deems it constitutional, it will be paid for. Sick people can now go to the doctors and be treated, those who have sat and drank at the fountain of peoples misery and solely to line their packets over and over again, will have a little less to get.
These people are looking for a solution, they like to complain about every and anything that could be considered help to others.
The bottom line is this; a week ago I liked the announcement that the new health care program offered some assistance to women at no additional cost. Since then I have heard gun rights, constitutional rights, jurisdictional rights, state rights, cost, politics, rich and poor, other countries, ideologies and a host of nonsense from those repeating the party line though the evidence strikes you in the face repeatedly. The one thing that comes up missing is the human factor. Someone once said that the need for any government is to do collectively what could not be done individually. We wrap ourselves in the flag, but each time the country come calling, we turn up missing. When will you lay aside your right wing bickering and consider what the country, our strength is only recognized when our weakness are considered, what any country or government should be about? Its people!
This is what I know and believe...responding to your post
#1. Insurance companies are overcharging us and will continue to do so until we can figure out a way to reign in costs. This explosion of healthcare costs will continue to rise and gobble up more and more of the national GNP. Eventually it overtakes income and those on fixed income will drop coverage. This is already happening and will accelerate. The ramifications will be many.
#2. The new health care law is NOT reducing the cost in any way whatsoever, it is in fact increasing it because more products, services and time are spent on providing these extra services. Therefore everyone in the healthcare chain will increase their fees/costs to make up the difference. I know from my own perspective I will raise the rates to provide healthcare benefits and services plus cut coverage. I believe every other employer will do the same.
#3. The issue you are talking about on women getting coverage I have no issue with, however I think it is naive and unreasonable to assume those costs aren't shifted somewhere else in the chain. In the end the payers will have to pay more and the entitlement holders will continue free loading.
#4. I actually have no issue with providing certain free health costs but what really irks me is that some want these services and have absolutely no intention of becoming or trying to become a valuable and hard working member of society. I completely get if someone was having a difficult financial time or going through other struggles but half these people using this system are just the low end of the spectrum and milking it simply because they can and are able to do so.
As for Obama and Romney I am not a fan of either, though if you look at the figures today versus 4 years ago this current administration has not accomplished anything. The 8% unemployment is terrible and we lost the AAA rating. The issue I have with Obama is like the other politicians, they are weasals and no backbone. Obama spends all his time campaigning and blaming others instead of standing in the pit trying to get something accomplished.
My two cents...
Dennis The majority of people who have built riches in this country have done so through hard work, risk taking and sacrifice themselves. Why shouldnt the person who started the company, runs the company, and gives others jobs to feed their familes make a larger share of the profits from that company? Do you prefer a society where those who sit on their butts get the same wealth as those who work hard to better themselves. Sounds pretty socialist to me. Or a country where the Government owns everything and runs everything, and no matter what job you do your capital is redistributed as the govt sees fit like communist countries?
Is it envy? jealously? Resentment? That leads you to believe that others have the responsibility to provide to you what you have not provided for yourself? I missed the line on my birth certificate that reads "And after your parents get done taking care of you society and those who already made their money will".
There will always be people at different earning levels in any society. But if you take away the profit driven incentive of people to build businesses, then those businesses will cease to exist as will the jobs they provide. Some people see a job, no matter how meanial, as an opportunity to better themselves and they are thankful someone else ahead of them excelled enough to create the need for the job they have. The people complaining that rich people are getting rich off their sweat are usually the people who arent sweating, but content to wait for the village to take care of them. The desire to redistribute the wealth is much easier when its not your hard earned money being redistributed.
I just got around to reading this thread. Re the earlier claim in the thread that AFA includes a "3.8% sale tax on all real estate transactions", the following link debunks it: www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2012/jul/25/chain-email/3-8-percent-tax-real-estate-transactions-health-ca/
http://healthcare-coalition.org/tax_burden
http://dpc.senate.gov/healthreformbill/healthbill05.pdf
My favorite is the first one mentioned below. Note that if you are below the poverty line you won't have to pay the tax. In other words the rest of the country will just as they do now only it will cost more because we will have created a bureaucracy to manage this abortion. BTW it will cost me an additional 3500 per year should my employer choose to drop their insurance benefit.
Individual Mandate Excise Tax
Section 1501 (Page 324) • Effective January 2014
Starting in 2014, anyone not buying “qualifying” health insurance must pay an individual income surtax according to the higher of the following (page 71 of manager’s amendment updates Reid bill):
Single
2 People
3+ People
2014
$495/0.5% AGI
$990/0.5% AGI
$1485/0.5%/AGI
2015
$495/1.0% AGI
$990/1.0% AGI
$1485/1.0%/AGI
2016+
$495/2.0% AGI
$990/2.0% AGI
$1485/2.0%/AGI
Exemptions exist for religious objectors, undocumented immigrants, prisoners, those earning less than the poverty line, members of Indian tribes, and hardship cases (determined by HHS).
You know what I find so interesting? And I am going out on a limb here - Where the heck are the women here commenting? All men are making all these arguments!
I for one would just like to see men and women come together and actually speak to the true issue of health care and the need for the coverage by so many. Let's think about this:
- Children with disabilities - if the parents make too much money - no health coverage - these are not the high income wage earners, these are the mom's and pops that are earning minimum wage, trying to make sure there is a roof over their heads, and food on the table
- Healthy families is here in California - it could be in other states or other states could have something similiar - but this program is for the children! I know about this program because I worked for a company that processed all the applicatoins - I was a supervisor at this company and I saw first hand the heart ache and the misery that these parents went thru to see that their children were covered!
- Seniors - on a fixed income - I have experienced this first hand - with my very own family - and the cost of medications that is astronomical - and where are Seniors supposed to get the dollars to pay for this?
- Adults with disabilities
- Homeless - which is more then just the people that choose to live on the streets - these are families and women with children - and they have no safe place to go or get medical treatment when needed
- WE have people out on the streets - that should be in facilities (they need extra care because they can't remember to take their medicine - - but hey the good ol' state of California deemed it too spendy - so these places closed down. So the mentally ill are on the streets and not getting care - why is that?
- What about assisted living? Nursing home care? For our elderly - where some of the conditions are appalling!
I could keep going here - I don't give a rat's be hind about some tax or no tax or increase or decrease - what I truly care about is my fellow human being - and I know that Women get the short change of the deal -
So why are the majority of you men complaining about this so called health care project that will give free care to Women and children and all you can think about is the taxes, or the lack there of, or the government taking control - and then it goes on and on.
Thank you Al for speaking up and Thank you Dennis for showing your true human side - Yes, medical care is out of this roof - but someone said in here - those that are complaining are those (generally) with health coverage.
I have health coverage - and it isn't the same as it was a year ago! We are paying more out of pocket expenses while our income has dropped!
I am a proponent for Women and Children and Men getting affordable health care - and I have been there - in that situation with no health coverage, working two jobs, a single parent and yet I couldn't afford the health care, and I made to much money to get some assistance.
I am also a cancer survivor! There are organizations that do help all people with cancer - providing rides, providing dollars to pay for care and treatment - but there are so many that fall thru the cracks -
I don't know about you, but I wish people would take a step back, and realize how callous they sound. When you walk in those shoes, then you can make a comment - until then have a bit of empathy, a bit of understanding, and a bit of compassion.
NO, the majority that will receive this "FREE" heaven forbid health care - are not the type to take advantage of the system. Yes, there are always those that will take advantage, but the majority are not that way.
Hillary Clinton tried to get something passed - It doesn't matter if I like her or not - I highly commend her for taking the bull by the horns and opening up that can of worms. The reaction? Instead of people coming together to see if something could be put in place - all they did is exactly what you all are doing here.
So, while I commend each of you for taking the time to comment - this is really just a session of complaints!
And one last thing - I truly care about the women and children and men of this country. No veteran should go untreated, no person should have to forego medical treatment because they can't cover the cost - and things should be set in place to help every single person in our country. Regardless if you are republican, democrat, independent, liberal etc.
We are still a great nation, but we are selfish - coming together out of respect to assist and make an ongoing issue better - is what all people should do.
Judy believe it or not Conservatives care too. We have families, and senior parents who have dealt with the problems of healthcare. Many of us have serious healthcare problems ourselves. Our protest against Obama care isnt with providing healthcare for those who cant afford it. The discontentment is with creating a government run system that will lead to mandated limits, less availability and waste. It is not an improved system.
Many things could have been done to reform healthcare and still provide care for those in need. Tort reform, insurance reform, state systems, medicare reform and fraud prevention were never approached as an option. Instead we ended up with 2700 pages of a confusing, convoluted system that puts our helathcare decisions not with the individual but in the hands of the government. The more massive the system the less the ability to oversee and control it. Did we fix medicare before we added this mess to it? No, we just piled more on to an already broken system. Did we correct the social security funding before rushing to institute this? Instead we threw the baby out with the bathwater.
I think that most of us do not mind paying a little more for an improved system that also provided care for the less fortunate. But this system was sold to us with false hopes, financial lies, and its "all free" promises. The final result will not be an improved system enhanced for all, but will be an overburdened medicare type health system that provides less and costs more. As insurance companies and employers bow out, government will take up the task of being sole insurer, supplier and payer resulting in reduced services, limited availability, limited doctors, and rationed care. Unfortunately this type of system works to provide general healthcare for all, but limits specialized care and treatment for major illnesses that is often the case for seniors.
Wanting to do things in an efficient and cost saving way with limited government involvement does not mean conservatives are selfish, uncaring and advocates for dirty air and water. Sometimes when your buying a car from a dealer with a bad track record you have to look beyond the shiny paint and look under the hood. Otherwise you end up getting sold a lemon. In the case of Obama care our Representatives didnt even look at the car!
Sorry Dave, but your article didn't "debunk" what I posted. The 3.8% is there and will be taking affect as stated in January 2013. Will it affect every real estate sale? Probably not. Does it cost average folks another 3.8% on top of the other taxes levied after the sale? You bet. In addition to the sale price being added to your yearly income, should you fail to reinvest it properly, it'll likely push most above that Obama magical $250,000 mark. Add in the selling agent's fees and inheritance tax (if that's the case) and you're being hit pretty hard. Prior to the ACA, that additional 3.8% tax hit didn't exist, period.
And for the record, I find it hardly "selfish" to be paying nearly a third of my family's income in taxes, paying the highest sales tax of any state in the nation, the highest vehicle registration fees in the nation,,,etc. etc.... all for the government to waste, time after time. Enough is enough.
Abolish the ACA, the largest single tax hike in our nations history, as it is written and replace it with something sensible.
Romney 2012!
A wise person pointed out to me I may have posted some incorrect information. That certainly was not my intention. The ACA doesn't need any help looking bad to most people. Most of it stinks on it's own, as written, without any monkeying around on my part. If I gave the impression the 3.8% medicare / real estate surcharge in the ACA applied to ALL real estate sales, I am incorrect. MY BAD and I do apologize for that. Although, in defense of what I posted, it is indeed a brand new 3.8% tax and did not exist prior to the ACA and is going to take affect come January. It just won't apply to everyone.
Apparently, this new tax of nearly 4%, will not apply to most of us paupers. It will definately affect those of some means. Yup, you rich people who were fortunate enough to earn more than $200k (single) -$250k (jointly) and were lucky enough to have found a buyer to pay you what your home / property was worth, have it coming. I believe this would put those folks in the top 2% earning category which, according to the IRS, already pays more than 40% of all federal taxes in our country. I guess screwing just a few people, a little more, makes it all right and gosh darn acceptable to some. Aint class warfare grand?
Please help repeal this monstrosity and replace it with something more "American".
Romney 2012!
Dennis,
You said, "Someone once said the need for any government is to do collectively what could not be done individually". Who said that? Mao? Stalin? Hitler? Obama? You must work for the liberal media with that kind of comment! Guess that should end the discussion, shouldn't it? After all, someone once said...!!!!
You prove what has been proven over and over with libs... that no matter what facts are presented they continue to spout the same old rehearsed lines, ignoring truth for their beloved socialist ideology. You see the facts, know they are truth but you have traded the truth for your own trumped up thinking, claiming you can't see the truth!
Save it! Nobody is buying...
Except Judy who wants it to make a monster out of every man and every American who works hard for a living and earns their own healthcare! After all, she's seen so much and suffered so much and worked first hand so much! Wow, we should all just peel back out sofa cushions and dig all of our change out and give it to you to spend for us, right? Ridiculous! Biased! Discriminatory!
If you two are such caring, compassionate human beings, why don't you post copies of all of the checks you've donated to all of these people in need that you claim you have first hand knowledge of instead of putting your hands in my checkbook? Because when I say keep your hands out of my checkbook, you call me names, call me uncaring, call me spoiled because I have healthcare, call me sexist and toot your horn about how caring you are!!! Take a good look in the mirror!
Its actually paraphrased from one the worst tyrants in our nations history, Abraham Lincoln. It isnt the entire quote but has been morphed into supporting yet another form of tyrany which is the good intention of providing health care insurance at the expense of those who are already paying their fair share. With waivers and poverty exceptions to the ACA the only thing that will change is more will be asked of the people who followed the rules and succeeded in this country further discouraging them or encouraging them to shelter their income in another way. Both Kennedy and Reagan understood this but the inept amateur in charge now seems to think its trickle down fairy dust. Obama certainly has lived up to everything the right wing said about him in 2008.
"Under the new health care bill — did you know that all real estate transactions will be subject to a 3.8% Sales Tax? The bulk of these new taxes don’t kick in until 2013 (presumably after Obama’s re-election). You can thank Nancy, Harry and Barack and your local Democrat Congressman for this one. If you sell your $400,000 home, there will be a $15,200 tax. This bill is set to screw the retiring generation who often downsize their homes. Is this Hope & Change great or what? …
"Oh, you weren’t aware this was in the Obamacare bill? Guess what, you aren’t alone. There are more than a few members of Congress that aren’t aware of it either (result of clandestine midnight voting for huge bills they’ve never read). AND, there are a few other surprises lurking."
The email’s claims are wrong, but that hasn’t stopped people from pressing the forward button. John asked in the other day if I believe everything that comes out of congress. The answer is no addition, but neither do I repeat things I hear or read from others without verification. You are not allowed to have your cake and eat it at the same time. So there you have it. The sort of people who would have to pay the tax might include, for example: § A single executive making $210,000 a year who sells his $300,000 ski condo for a $50,000 profit. His tax on the sale of that vacation home would amount to $1,900, in addition to the capital gains tax he would have paid anyway. § An "empty nester" couple with combined income of over $250,000 a year who sell their $1 million primary residence to move to smaller quarters. If they cleared $600,000 on the sale, they would be taxed on $100,000 of the profit (the amount over the half-million-dollar exclusion). Their health care tax on the sale would amount to $3,800 over and above the usual capital gains levy. As I said earlier, because you believe it and say it, does not make it so. I will not gloat at your misstep but will urge you to use care and diligence.
I see your point, but the main focus of my post was that an additional "NEW" tax was going to take affect this January and it was included as part of the ACA. My misunderstanding of exactly who it affects is where I was incorrect. You're correct that there is a lot of misinformation regarding who is affected by this new tax and the viral way it has spread. As I said, I didn't mean to lead anyone astray. I was trying point out that there are many new negative things, which will be triggered via the ACA, in the very near future that folks are not aware of.
I was listening to a real estate program on either 1380 or 1530 this past Sunday morning and that was the topic being discussed. The way I see it, that new 3.8% is an additional tax on top of any capital gains tax levied. Sure, it only affects a certain few who are fortunate / unfortunate enough to make the sort of money required to trigger the new tax, but is that fair? I think not. Class warfare / envy is unfair and wrong.
Romney 2012!
One thing that Obaminites forget is that the Mass health care system is a state run system not a federally mandated one. As others have said, we need to look far beyond the freebees. Personally Im not satisfied with the job that both parties are doing in DC. But while many of us are trying to return the Rebublican Party's values back to where they should be, I would argue that many liberal Democrates still believe that the Democratic party is still their grandparents and parents party. Obamas party is the Progressive party. While sounding new and improved, this progressive agenda reeks more of euro style government controlled socialism. Your party is being high jacked. The term social justice is used to justify programs that impower the government and control the people. When Obama said he wanted to fundamentally change America he meant it. Before you drink the koolaid research his past. He has been a student of Marxism, and taught Sal Alinski's rules for radicals believing that people must go beyond socialism as socialism is too meek. His adviser, Valeri Jarett's background also prescribes to marxism and socialism. He is doing everything he can to rule by executive order finding every way he can to bypass congress.
Many Liberals have fought wars to maintain the freedoms and rights we enjoy and live by. But it is time they realize that there is a new faction of the Democratic party that has become socialist in its agenda and is leading them to a euro style America.
Doug Lewis