Democrats admit: You can’t afford our health care! Update: Video, Senator Schumer agrees
Wait just a dog gone minute. I thought the Democrats were going to provide “quality affordable health care for all.” Now we discover not only will the health care plan in the senate still leave millions uninsured … but it’s not affordable either?
A family of four headed by a 45-year-old making $63,000 a year is in the middle of the middle class. But that family would pay $7,110 to buy its own health insurance under the plan from the committee chairman, Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont.
The family would get a tax credit of $3,970 to help pay for a policy worth $11,080. But the balance due — $7,110 — is real money. Maybe it’s less than the rent, but it’s probably more than a car loan payment.
Kaiser’s calculator doesn’t take into account co-payments and deductibles that could add hundreds of dollars, even several thousand, to a family’s total medical expenses. A Congressional Budget Office analysis estimates total expenses could average 20 percent of income for some families by 2016.
You can’t say Jeff Jacoby at the Boston Globe didn’t warn us, eh? Just how much will this affordable health insurance cost middle class Americans? Fasten your seat belt.
The legislation provides the most generous subsidies to those at or near the poverty line, about $22,000 for a family of four. That’s where the problem is concentrated because about three-fourths of the uninsured are in households making less than twice the poverty level.
But as income rises, the subsidies taper off.
For a family of four making $45,000, federal subsidies would pick up 71 percent of the premium under the Baucus plan, according to the Kaiser calculator.
For a family with an income of $63,000, the subsidies would only cover 36 percent of the premium.
A family making $90,000 would get no help.
Update: Here’s video of Charles Schumer confirming the whole deal … Schumer says the only thing Washington must determine is do we burden middle America now … or later. Now that’s what I call choice!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-35X-pPJQCk
It’s a tax. Period. A big fat tax from a bunch of big fat overpaid and overindulged thieves. Government mandates, coverage for pre-existing conditions, price controls, plus free health care for the poor … it all adds up to a very expensive program and once again … it’s the little guy who pays. The average worker, the average family will be facing a whopping tax increase of up to 20%.
It was supposed to be different. Congressman Chris Murphy told my audience it would be “better” insurance. Well it turns out we were right after all. It’s too expensive, too burdensome and will do nothing to make our lives better and still leave 2 million uninsured. It is … a tax on the middle class. They are all a bunch of lying weasels. Period. They do not have a clue about what they are doing
Socialism, what socialism? Welcome to Hope and Changey’s brave new world.
Just for kicks … here’s the young President one more time.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HE-rGGKksQ
does anyone find it really fishy that the insurance companies have not killed this idea with their powerful lobby. Something tell me that private insurance companies will be administering these plans or something.
I keep hearing the argument that "when an uninsured person goes to the hospital we all have to pay for it." But either way we are going to pay for it, so what is the difference. This difference is that whomever manages these healthcare programs is going to siphon off a cut. I guarantee that for each uninsured person we are not collectively paying 11,000 or even 7,000. It is most likely cheaper to pay for it the way that we are paying now.
And the worst part of all? These are the costs they are admitting to, and doesn't even allow for the very predictable cost overruns and other budget busters, probably unfunded for the states, that these political toads will foist on us. You can't look at any project, from Social Security, to Medicare, to the Big Dig, whose costs didn't spiral out of control as pols give hack jobs to family and supporters, twiddle with the details, and add/remove loopholes in some misbegotten attempt "fix" the debacle they have wrought.
"We're the government, and we're here to help you". If you hear that, grab your wallet and run away as fast as you can! Feet! Do your stuff!
For $7,000 I would rather take my whole family down to Panama , see a doctor with a cigarette in his mouth , and receive a prompt diagnosis without 3 rounds of blood drawing and waiting weeks for lab results.