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Still waiting for a relevant Browns Team -
I'm not a big fan of dynasty politics (mostly thanks to the BCE) but maybe we need another President Roosevelt to revive the legacies of Teddy AND Franklin?Eat Us And Smile
Cenk For America 2024!!
Justice Democrats
"If the American people had ever known the truth about what we (the BCE) have done to this nation, we would be chased down in the streets and lynched." - Poppy Bush, 1992Comment
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The problem is the Federal Government has become an agency government. It's a loose collation of agencies who make laws and spend our tax money and are ran by people we never elected. The agency czars have become more powerful than congressmen. The Affordable Care Act will just become a new extension of this agency government. Taxing us, enforcing us, and it will be administered by lifetime beaurocrats who are not elected and damn near impossible to fire. This problem has existed for years and has only gotten worse and worse.
It's all about taking people's money and controlling them. They want to be in every aspect of our lives. It's not just healthcare. It's all about controlling and micromanaging you. I guess if you are the type of person that loves to be told what to do all the time and have someone else decide on how your money is spent, it might be an enjoyable system. It sure as hell is not my cup of tea.No! You can't have the keys to the wine cellar!Comment
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BecKKK thinks Obama's a "socialist" even though he enables corporatism. Hell, I'm sure he probably called Opie Roberts a "socialist" today because of the court decision, even though he also did so for corporatist reasons (as he has every ruling he has made in the court).
BecKKK (and all the other teabagging fascist morons) have no idea what the fuck "socialist" means.Eat Us And Smile
Cenk For America 2024!!
Justice Democrats
"If the American people had ever known the truth about what we (the BCE) have done to this nation, we would be chased down in the streets and lynched." - Poppy Bush, 1992Comment
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paranoia [ˌpærəˈnɔɪə]
n
1. (Psychiatry) a form of schizophrenia characterized by a slowly progressive deterioration of the personality, involving delusions and often hallucinations
2. (Psychiatry) a mental disorder characterized by any of several types of delusions, in which the personality otherwise remains relatively intact
3. (Psychology) Informal intense fear or suspicion, esp when unfounded
[via New Latin from Greek: frenzy, from paranoos distraught, from para-1 + noos mind]
paranoiac [ˌpærəˈnɔɪɪk], paranoic [ˌpærəˈnəʊɪk] adj & nComment
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Sesh, you're clearly on the other side of the freedom debate...Comment
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It's called a start to dealing with what by any definition was a severe societal problem as some of you dopes keep acting as if everything was fine 'til Obama'care. There's a local (hellhole) of a county hospital here that was brought into the national spotlight because one of its trauma-surgeons murdered his secretary-girlfriend. The place is losing millions a year due to people coming into the emergency room with no health care. Therefore the county gov't has to make-up for that gap with an escrow fund that's being eclipsed to the tune of a projected $40 million shortfall next year. Having mandatory insurance is a tax? NO FUCKING SHIT!! So IS NOT HAVING HEALTHCARE! That's a tax on ALL of us...Comment
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I was curious about the "tax" that keeps getting mentioned.... Another good article from Forbes....
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Health Care Reform - Who Pays The Tax?
On our favorite soap opera, ”As Reform Turns,” Chief Justice Roberts steps in as the swing vote and the law is upheld based on what most thought would be the most unlikely reason – the requirement to obtain insurance coverage is a tax. The soap opera is far from over and will last as long as our real television favorites.
So what does this mean at the moment? The great parts of the law stand and the bad parts stand too. Changes in health care delivery, the focus on prevention, and the move toward patient centered care are the good parts. How we handled insurance in the law was the bad part – instead of simplifying a costly, complex system, we made it more complex.
How is insurance handled? People will either have to purchase insurance or pay a fine (now called a tax.) However, there are rules that govern whether an individual will be required to carry insurance. If a person is not required to carry insurance, then they will not have to pay the tax.
Who does not have to buy health insurance in 2014?
People with religious objections (you cannot form your own religion)
American Indians (they have the Indian Health Services)
Incarcerated individuals (they already have good health care)
People suffering financial hardship (how is that defined?)
Those without coverage less than three months
AND THE BIG ONE – THOSE WHOSE PREMIUMS EXCEED 8% OF INCOME
Now think about that last one… Average premium costs in the U.S. are over $13,000 per family. So, for a family to be required to buy health insurance on their own, they would have to make over $162,500 per year in income before they are subject to the tax if they refuse to buy health insurance coverage. Most of that group can afford the coverage.
But it really isn’t that simple. Here is where premium tax credits come into play – people making under 400% poverty level will get assistance paying their premiums. It is estimated 28.6 million Americans will be eligible for these tax credits. If cost of insurance exceeds a certain percent of income, the credit will be issued. Premiums for the individual or family will be limited to:
2% of income up to 133% poverty level
3 to 4% of income for 133% to 150% poverty level
4 to 6.3% of income for 150% to 200% poverty level
6.3to 8.05% of income for 200% to 250% poverty level
8.05 to 9.5% of income for 250% to 300% poverty level
9.5% of income for 300% to 400% poverty level
For example, a family making $92,200 has a maximum premium contribution of $8,759 a year. The cost of coverage does not matter because the premium tax credit picks up the rest – insurance can cost $20,000+ a year and the maximum the family will pay is the percentage stated above. Can a family of four making $92,200 per year afford to pay $8,759 for insurance? If they decide to forgo coverage, they will have to pay the tax. The people who can least afford it – those making less than 400% poverty level – are the ones most likely to be subject to the tax.
So how much is the tax?
2014 – $95 or 1% of income, whichever is greater. The family of four making $92,200 will owe a tax of $922 if they do not carry coverage.
2015 – $325 or 2% of income
2016 forward – $695 or 2.5% of income
If employers continue to provide coverage, this should not be much of an issue, as most of the population have employer assistance in paying premiums. However, if employers dump coverage and pay the fine, we have a problem. People will go to the insurance exchange to purchase their coverage and be responsible for the entire bill. Since insurance will still be expensive, many will not purchase the coverage. The result? The people who can afford it the least will pay a tax and still not receive the health coverage they need.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out. The key to making this work is a focus on controlling costs and making insurance more affordable. This is a victory for the Obama administration, and they still have a long road to climb. Stay tuned for further episodes of “As Reform Turns.”
Comments, questions, suggestions? Post here, follow on Twitter @CarolynMcC, or email carolyn.mcclanahan@gmail.comEat Us And Smile - The Originals
"I have a very belligerent enthusiasm or an enthusiastic belligerence. I’m an intellectual slut." - David Lee Roth
"We are part of the, not just the culture, but the geography. Van Halen music goes along with like fries with the burger." - David Lee RothComment
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No dude, the fat asses that sit around and drink and smoke and do nothing to take care or themselves will always be a burden on the system whether they have insurance or not...NO FUCKING SHIT!! So IS NOT HAVING HEALTHCARE! That's a tax on ALL of us...
That's why I think a good portion of a person's healthcare should be paid out of pocket...
It encourages personal responsibility and causes people to be pro-active in taking better care of themselves...Comment
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Oh well. I hedged against this. I won't pay a penny to it. All I can say is enjoy it. I'm going to be having a good laugh a few years from now at your guys.No! You can't have the keys to the wine cellar!Comment
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Eat Us And Smile - The Originals
"I have a very belligerent enthusiasm or an enthusiastic belligerence. I’m an intellectual slut." - David Lee Roth
"We are part of the, not just the culture, but the geography. Van Halen music goes along with like fries with the burger." - David Lee RothComment
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While obviously I agree that thy body is a Temple, it would appear that ye are being just a tad judgmental there Gregory. And ye remember what I said about that, right?
For verily I say unto you, that ye were guilty of such sins in the past thyself. And where would ye be today if there were no health care available?Comment
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I'm sure you'll say the same about this....... Damn those pesky facts.......
The fallout of the Supreme Court's health care ruling in the South
The Supreme Court's closely-watched 5-4 decision upholding the Affordable Care Act, the Obama administration's signature health care reform initiative, has sent shock waves through state legislatures that will carry it out.
The fallout from the ruling will be especially interesting to watch in Southern states, which have some of the highest rates of uninsured people -- as well as lawmakers who have been some of the Act's most vociferous critics.
Here's a survey of where Southern states stand and the reaction of state lawmakers and candidates (source unless otherwise noted is Associated Press):
ALABAMA
Number of uninsured: 720,000 state residents are uninsured, or about 15.4 percent.
Where Alabama stood before Supreme Court decision: Republican Gov. Robert Bentley created a commission in 2011 to recommend a plan for a health insurance exchange, but he successfully opposed efforts to enact one in May. Critics said the bill would have limited the exchange to companies operating statewide.
Reaction to Supreme Court ruling: Statement from Gov. Robert Bentley:
I am deeply disappointed by today's Supreme Court decision. The health care law is an overreach by the federal government that creates more regulation, bureaucracy, and a dramatic increase in costs to taxpayers ... The ACA is the single worst piece of legislation to come out of Congress. This law must be repealed. People need more choices, not fewer choices. Bigger government is not the answer. Market-based solutions are the best solutions to giving the public the most affordable options.
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ARKANSAS
Number of uninsured: 539,000 state residents are uninsured, or about 19 percent.
Where Arkansas stood before Supreme Court decision: Arkansas opted for a federal-state partnership for its health insurance marketplace. Legislators blocked a bill by which the state would have created its own insurance exchange but have since accepted a grant that will allow it to at least have a role in the federally created exchange.
Reaction to Supreme Court ruling: Statement from Gov. Mike Bebe (D):
We will study the impact the Court's ruling will have on health care in Arkansas going forward. In the mean time, our separate initiative to create cost savings and improve health care in Arkansas continues. Our aim is to set an example other states can follow, regardless of what transpires next in Washington, D.C.
Reactions of other Arkansas lawmakers here.
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FLORIDA
Number of uninsured: 3.85 million Floridians are uninsured, or about 21 percent.
Where state stood before Supreme Court decision: On Republican Gov. Rick Scott's orders, Florida rejected or declined to pursue more than $106 million of money for implementing the law and has returned $4.5 million. That state has its own health insurance exchanges, but without an individual mandate, and has not implemented an exchage that would meet the requirements of the Affordable Care Act.
Reaction to Supreme Court ruling: Gov. Scott has reportedly declined to comment on the decision, saying "I need to review it first." Florida's Republican Attorney General Pam Bondi said she was "surprised, shocked."
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GEORGIA
Number of uninsured: 1,905,000 state residents are uninsured, or 19 percent.
Where state stood before Supreme Court decision: Georgia has taken no action to implement a health care exchange, and various bills to allow or hinder the state's carrying out of the bill have failed to pass.
Reaction to Supreme Court ruling: Gov. Nathan Deal (R) has not yet responded; Democrats are pressing that Republicans must be "responsible" and move forward on implementation.
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KENTUCKY
Number of uninsured: 640,000 state residents are uninsured, or about 15 percent.
Where Kentucky stood before Supreme Court decision: Kentucky began process of creating statewide health insurance exchange, but Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear was waiting for Supreme Court ruling before moving forward.
Reaction to Supreme Court ruling: No formal statement yet from the governor. U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Turtle) said the court's decision was a "road to repeal."
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LOUISIANA
Number of uninsured: 886,000 state residents are uninsured, or about 20 percent.
Where Louisiana stood before Supreme Court decision: Both Republican Gov. Piyush Bobby Jindal and Attorney General Buddy Caldwell (R) are on record in opposition to the law, and Louisiana is one of the states challenging it in court.
Reaction to Supreme Court ruling: Statement from Gov. Jindal:
Ironically, the Supreme Court has decided to be far more honest about Obamacare than Obama was. They rightly have called it a tax. Today's decision is a blow to our freedoms. The Court should have protected our constitutional freedoms, but remember, it was the President that forced this law on us.
The American people did not want or approve of Obamacare then, and they do not now. Americans oppose it because it will decrease the quality of health care in America, raise taxes, cut Medicare, and break the bank. All of this is still true. Republicans must drive hard toward repeal, this is no time to go weak in the knees.
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MISSISSIPPI
Number of uninsured: 618,000 state residents are uninsured, or about 21 percent.
Where Mississippi stood before Supreme Court decision: Former Republican Gov. Haley Barbour had originally proposed a state exchange; GOP Mississippi Insurance Commissioner Make Chaney has accepted federal money for setting one up.
Response to Supreme Court decision: No formal statement from Gov. Phil Bryant yet. Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, however, was unhappy:
I am extremely disappointed by the decision. However, the Supreme Court has stated plainly what the President and his allies went to great lengths to deny: Obamacare is a tax. In fact, it is a massive tax hike on the American people. Obamacare was bad law yesterday and it’s still bad law today.
Before the ruling, insurance commissioner Chaney reiterated his support for the law, saying "It would create some real instaibility in the market" if the clause requiring coverage of pre-existing conditions was voted down, and saying the state planned to move ahead in creating an exchange whatever the Supreme Court's ruling.
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NORTH CAROLINA
Number of uninsured: 1.57 million state residents are uninsured, or about 17 percent.
Where North Carolina stood before Supreme Court decision: Republicans introduced legislation to prohibit the Act's individual mandate, but they haven't been able to overcome exiting Democratic Gov. Beverly Perdue's veto.
Reaction to Supreme Court ruling: No word yet from Gov. Perdue, but Republican gubernatorial hopeful Pat McCrory said in a Tweet that: "Today's decision by the Supreme Court is disappointing and upholds a law that I believe is the wrong approach for the people of NC."
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SOUTH CAROLINA
Number of uninsured: 930,000 state residents are uninsured, or more than 20 percent.
Where South Carolina stood before Supreme Court decision: South Carolina is among states that sued over the constitutionality of the law, and has not taken any steps to implement exchanges.
Reaction to Supreme Court ruling: Republican Gov. Nikky Haley said "how we take care of South Carolinians ... is not the way they take care of Texans, it's not the way they take care of Californians. If D.C. would let us do our job, we would spend less money." .
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TENNESSEE
Number of uninsured: 930,000 people are uninsured, or about 15 percent.
Where Tennessee stood before Supreme Court decision: Tennessee began creating a health insurance exchange, but will have to wait until legislature returns in 2013 to complete the process.
Reaction to Supreme Court ruling: Gov. Bill Haslam (R) stated:
We will review the entire Supreme Court’s opinion to fully understand its impact on the State of Tennessee. From initial reports, it appears the individual mandate has been ruled Constitutional and has been upheld.
My primary issues with ObamaCare are that it takes away the flexibility for states to encourage healthy behavior, will cost Tennessee hundreds of millions of dollars, and does nothing to solve the crisis of the cost of health care in America.
Haslam ended with a partisan rallying cry: "Now it is up to Tennesseans and Americans to turn their attention to the November election. By electing Mitt Romney, we can be sure that the entire law will be repealed." (And replaced with National Romneycare, including mandatory conversion to Mormonism)
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TEXAS
Number of uninsured: About 6.2 million, or about 25 percent
Where Texas stood before Supreme Court decision: Gov. pRick Perry (R) and Texas have vehemently opposed the law, joining the lawsuit against it and declining to implement a health care exchange.
Reaction to Supreme Court ruling: Gov. Perry said the ruling "will be a stomach punch to the American economy" and called it "a shocking disappointment to freedom-loving Americans desperate to get our country back on track." His statement further said:
Obamacare is bad for the economy, bad for health care, bad for freedom, and uh....... somethin' else I forgot. Americans have made clear their overwhelming opposition to its convoluted, burdensome and overreaching mandates ... Freedom was frontally attacked by passage of this monstrosity – and the Court utterly failed in its duty to uphold the Constitutional limits placed on Washington,” Perry said. “Now that the Supreme Court has abandoned us, we citizens must take action at every level of government and demand real reform, done with respect for our Constitution and our liberty. We're gonna secede from the Union again, YEEEEEEHAAAAAW!!!
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott (R) was much less pessimistic, calling the ruling "an historic victory for individual liberty, states' rights, and limited government."
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VIRGINIA
Number of uninsured: 1.1 million state residents are uninsured, or about 14 percent.
Where Virginia stood before Supreme Court decision: Virginia officials have stated that they intend to create a health care exchange, but Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell has not acted on recommendations from an advisory council.
Reaction to Supreme Court ruling: Gov. McDonnell called the decision "a bad ruling for the American people." Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli (R), the first state attorney general to file suit over the law, was even more bleak:
This is a dark day for the American people, the Constitution, and the rule of law. This is a dark day for American liberty. And my boss, Pat Robertson, just told me that you're all going to Hell.
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WEST VIRGINIA
Number of uninsured: 244,000 state residents are uninsured, or about 13.5 percent.
Where West Virginia stood before Supreme Court decision: West Virginia had enacted legislation allowing for a state-run health care exchange, but was waiting for Supreme Court decision before setting it up.
Reaction to Supreme Court ruling: Statements still being collected.* (must be waiting for the coal companies to make a statement)
Stay tuned for further updates.
http://www.southernstudies.org/2012/...the-south.htmlEat Us And Smile
Cenk For America 2024!!
Justice Democrats
"If the American people had ever known the truth about what we (the BCE) have done to this nation, we would be chased down in the streets and lynched." - Poppy Bush, 1992Comment
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