Economists take critical view of health plans

[dtotire]

Source: NYTimes

Economists take critical view of health plans




By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: September 16, 2008
Filed at 6:30 a.m. ET

WASHINGTON (AP) -- John McCain's health plan won't lower the ranks of the uninsured. Barack Obama's fails to curb the soaring cost of health care, meaning initial gains in helping more people buy health insurance would eventually be undermined.
That's the assessment of health care economists who critiqued the plans of the two presidential candidates.
The critiques, published in the journal Health Affairs on Tuesday, reflect fundamental disagreements over how to improve access to health coverage. They also sound warnings about what could go wrong with each candidate's plan.
McCain would dramatically reshape the way millions of people get health insurance. The Republican would do away with income tax breaks for health insurance obtained through the work place, instead treating the payments as taxable wages.
In exchange, he would give people a $2,500 tax credit for individuals who buy health insurance and a $5,000 tax credit for families that do so.
The tax credit could help people buy insurance through their employer. Many would also use it buy coverage directly from insurers in the individual market. They could select from insurers licensed in any state. With more competition, costs would fall and quality would increase, McCain reasons.

Read the rest:

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/washington/AP-Candidates-Health-Plans.html

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/washington/AP-Candidates-Health-Plans.html

[qanda]

1. One of the reviewers of Obama's plan was an unpaid McCain advisor?

HUH???????

[angstlessk]

2. that is what I said...they gave a 'unsolicited' review of Mcsame's plans

and Obama's got a review from the Mcsame campaign??

[Lydia Leftcoast]

3. Read Bob Herbert's column in the New York Times today (Tuesday)

McCain's plan would treat insurance provided by employers as TAXABLE INCOME. This needs to be shouted from the rooftops.

[harmonicon]

4. yeah, that should be a HUGE story

Every person that I've told about that aspect of McCain's platform is outraged. I suspect that almost every single working person would feel likewise. Obama, or someone, needs to be bringing this up big-time.

[haele]

5. Oh, good lord - if provided health care payments are taxable "income"...

Our family with total gross yearly income of just under $50K before taxes will suddenly be a gross income of $120K - $140K? (Aetna pays $1700 a month for just one of my husband's prescriptions, the other ten he has to take just to function range anywhere from $25 - $875 a month - and then there's montly doctor's visits and regular lab work...)
Thank Ghod he doesn't have Cancer, or MS, or some other horribly expensive long-term disease; we could be looking at suddenly be saddled with an "income" of over $200K a year, depending on what the insurance companies are going to "get" from it.
And only a $5000 "tax credit" - which won't even cover the new taxes for that bracket. Looking at that scenario, we will end up owing an additional $2K a year on income taxes - luckily, the FICA taxes probably won't be applied.
On top of all that, we'd still have to pay our $8 - $10K in co-pays and premiums, which aren't tax deductable or have a tax credit which could help us immensly, by the way...

I don't see how anyone that is disabled or on a fixed income can afford to live if they have medical insurance or any medical plan - and by that, I mean just paying for food, and a shelter with running water after the new taxable "income" is estimated out of their paycheck to be paid to the feds - especially once the Feds start wage garnishing or account freezing to get their tax money.

Don't you just love it when wealthy people that have never had to notice what they might pay for medical coverage - and John McCain and his senate cronies never have had to pay anything - think that everyone can get by like they can?

Haele

[Lydia Leftcoast]

6. As someone in the comment sections of Herbert's column noted...

McCain has NEVER had private insurance. He was raised in a military family and has worked only in the military or in government all his life. Furthermore, with his health history, he would be considered uninsurable on the private market.

[jljamison]

7. not the actual benefits provided...only the premiums

I may be wrong, but I think the mccain plan would only add the premiums as taxable income, and not the actual value of the services provided. I'm not defending the plan, just - lets debate its merits or lack thereof on the facts.