A (political) Poison Pill for the GOP

[benburch]

OK...

An election is coming... (Y'all know that.)

An experience I had today (paying $900 without insurance for a crown on a bicuspid) leads me to think of a way we can turn the GOP against itself.

They say that they like cutting taxes, right? That they want us to keep more of our money?

They say that they believe in private enterprise, right?

They say they are against socialized medicine, right?

They say they are for the average American, right?

Somebody in congress needs to propose that;

All unreimbursed medical expenses should be tax deductable on personal income tax returns.

This will;

Cut taxes for all Americans.

Keep medical care in the hands of private enterprise.

Help the average American.

And the GOP will NEVER go for it because they really don't want to cut taxes for we wage drones and they don't want to give up the revenue that gives the government it's power!

Comments?

[tcfrogs]

1. Just to play devil's advocate

ALL unreimbursed medical expenses? No exceptions? This would be a nightmare to enforce & report.

[BlueEyedSon]

2. Uh, good idea (already done)

I think you need to have a certain minimum expense (7.5% of adjusted gross income?), but you can do it now.

http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc502.html

Topic 502 - Medical and Dental Expenses

If you itemize your deductions on Schedule A of Form 1040 (PDF), you may be able to deduct expenses you paid that year for medical care (including dental) for yourself, your spouse, and your dependents. A deduction is allowed only for expenses paid for the prevention or alleviation of a physical or mental defect or illness. Medical care expenses include payments for the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease, or treatment affecting any structure or function of the body. The cost of drugs is deductible only for drugs that require a prescription, except for insulin.

[iconoclastic cat]

3. Damn it!

Must...kill...tax preparer...!

[Yogi]

4. I believe that ...

is the problem people don't have enough expense to claim on their taxes but like me have no dental insurance.

[LizW]

5. Right, there's a big gap

Lots of peole have enough out of pocket expense that it hurts (or they can't afford the services at all), but they never get up to the threshold to get any tax benefit.

Believe me, I know. Every year I dutifully keep up with all the medical and dental and drug expenses for a family of four, only to find after totalling it all up that we never have quite enough to claim the deduction.

What would really help would be a credit, a dollar for dollar reduction in the taxable income for each dollar spent on unreimbursed medical. THAT would help the middle class.

[Yogi]

8. Liz, I agree with you,

you save receipts all year just to find out you don't have enough to get the deduction.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

9. Yes - when I was a poor student - 25% of my income was medical bills

but it wasn't enough to be able to make a deduction.

[benburch]

10. I have high medical bills...

and I've NEVER been able to get the deduction.

If they are dead set against "Socialized Medicine", then they bloody well ought to lower the deduction cap to ZERO.

Un the upside for them, when their rich friends need a heart transplant, they can deduct it all.

[linazelle]

6. That 7.5% makes a huge difference--I'm with the author of this thread

write off ALL unreimbursed expenses. They won't go for it.

[schultzee]

7. It needs to be totally deductable! Its hard to use schedule A and harder

to get above the 7.5% cap.