Taxing Benefits: The Wrong Way to Pay for Health Care

Rich A. 3 months, 2 weeks ago on Wordpress

There is a history that must be considered.

In 1946, and again in 1962, and yet again in 1978 Congress passed laws that essentially protected workers against job-loss due to mass production and cheap foreign imports. If labor had fought technological advances way back then where would the U.S. be today? Instead, labor agreed to allow mechanization, in exchange for various protections for workers . Business and government were elated! (At the time, 37% of all U.S. workers belonged to unions.) Health care and pensions are examples of the protections.

Over the years, both Congress and corporate America have reneged on their promises. Anonymous stockholders represented by corporate chieftains were handed guarantees that are unavailable to people like you me. Corporate America literally purchased powerful politicians who thereafter did what they were told. That is one of many reasons why the living standard of working class America has been stagnant over the past 30 years.

Corporations and Congress double-crossed us. When Reagan was allowed to bust the air traffic controllers we got double-crossed. NAFTA was a double-cross, and so was WTO, CAFTA, and other anti-worker trade schemes.

Today, the wealthiest 400 families in the U.S. have a total combined net worth if $1.57 trillion! Yes, trillion! How can that be when at the same time 20% of our people live in poverty? That’s the price the working class pays for being double-crossed.

Fast-forward to the issue of taxing “Cadillac Plans”. Yes, that would raise a good deal of money, but nowhere near what is needed to cover every resident of our nation with good, accessible health care. Why? Because the profit-takers (insurers, for-profit hospitals, and the pharmaceutical industry) would still be in the game and would continue to purchase favors from Congress. Profits are the only thing that are important to stockholders. History shows us that their corporate representatives will stop at nothing to keep them happy.

Besides, a small tax on the richest 400 families would produce as much revenue as would a tax on “Cadillac Plans”. Let’s face it, those 400 families wouldn’t even miss it!

Here’s a deal for you. Rather than agreeing to join a ten lap race after nine laps have already been run, let’s tell Congress that we’ll consider the Cadillac tax the day after the millions of our jobs that have been shipped offshore are returned.

The long and short of it is that corporations and Congress double-crossed is, and now they want to double-cross us again.

There is a solution. It is a humane and ethical solution. It is single payer.

Despite all the propaganda put out by corporations and their surrogates in Congress and the media, single payer would cost no more than the $2.7 trillion that will be spent on health care this year. It would cost no more, yet would cover everybody for virtually everything, without deductibles or co-payments. How? By taking the profits out of health care. Gone would be the 1300 different insurers and their endless paperwork and bureaucracy. Price-gouging, for-profit hospitals would be replaced by non-profits. (By the way: One of the 400 richest families is the Frist family. They own the Hospital Corporation of America. Not so coincidently, Bill Frist was the former GOP senate majority leader. When we follow the money great revelations are made!)

Pharmaceutical companies would be required to control costs.

Doctors would be fairly compensated. And don’t be fooled. Single payer would expand choices. People would be free to choose any doctor, anywhere, anytime.

Facilities and equipment would be funded according to need, not profit.

The average family of four currently pays about $13,375 in premiums, plus deductibles and co-pays. With single-payer, that family would pay 4.75% of household income for 100% health care. The median income of a family of four is about $55,000. Under single payer they would pay $2612.50 per year for the whole family (not per person) and everything would be covered. They’d choose their own doctors. There would be no deductibles or co-payments. Single payer would give them what amounts to a $10,762.50 yearly “wage increase”. What would they do with the additional money?” They’d spend some and save some. It would be the ultimate stimulus to our economy.

Alas, the solution is not in the cards right now. The medical-profits industry has bought too many politicians. We’ll have to raise some real hell in order to get health care justice. We must not, however, give up. It is within our grasp! Until then, let’s refuse to reward our double-crossers. Let’s refuse to join a race that is designed to assure we’ll finish last.

Keep the fire burning! The road to justice is single payer!

For more information go to Healthcare-NOW.org

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baymike51 3 months, 2 weeks ago on Wordpress

Like I keep saying, its time to start over. Too many people trying to be too cute on this one. If they don’t stop now and realy try to get it right,its not gonna come out good for any of us. Now it just seems to be more about somebody winning something,then it is about us.

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