Senator Baucus proposes fines of up to $3,800 for Americans who don't buy private health insurance!

[Better Believe It]

Meanwhile, Americans who fail to sign up for a medical plan after health care overhaul takes effect could be hit with fines of up to $3,800, according to a new proposal circulated Tuesday by a senior Democrat.

The proposed fines are part of a proposal from Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., a moderate who heads the influential Finance Committee. Baucus was meeting Tuesday with a small group of senators trying to engineer a bipartisan compromise to break the stalemate. His plan would guarantee coverage for nearly all Americans at a cost to taxpayers of under $900 billion over 10 years. Some experts consider that a bargain, since the country now spends around $2.5 trillion a year on health care.

The fines would be the stick to enforce a proposed requirement that all Americans get health insurance, much as auto coverage is now mandatory. The penalties would start at $750 a year for individuals, and $1,500 for families. Households making more than three times the federal poverty level — about $66,000 for a family of four — would face the maximum fines. For families, it would be $3,800, and for individuals, $950.

Baucus would offer carrots as well: tax credits to help pay premiums for households making up to three times the poverty level, and for small employers paying about average middle-class wages. People working for companies that offer coverage could avoid the fines by signing up.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32733321/ns/politics-health_care_reform

[DJ13]

1. I've about had it with the corporate whores ruining our party

[Cronus Protagonist]

2. Dupe

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4050083&mesg_id=4050083

[Cha]

3. Fuck off, baucus and take

your asshole insurance whores with you.

[Eric J in MN]

4. They should expand Medicaid to cover everyone who would have trouble affording...

...health insurance premiums, instead of a mandates-subsidies-fines approach.

[phleshdef]

5. Geez, that wouldn't make liberals OR conservatives very happy.

[Cant trust em]

6. Fuck no. I'd rather not have universal coverage than fines.

This is ridiculous.

[ProSense]

7. Does anyone need any more proof that this bill is dead? n/t

[backscatter712]

8. I'll agree to the fines if we have a real, strong, competitive public option.

Gotta keep the private insurers honest, and make sure that we get our money's worth from our health care dollars...

[T Wolf]

9. Anything that leaves the insurance leeches in charge is fatally flawed. "Our" Democrats will

produce a plan that is as bad as anything the pukes could come up with.

Add in the fact that they are blowing the best chance for real health care reform and the Dems are "out-badding" the GOP on this one.

The net result is..

1) being forced to buy this defective product at an inflated price (how is my student-daughter supposed to afford this "coverage?")

2) there will be no control over how much out-of-pocket expenses can steal from the victim (sure, it's "limited" by some bullshit formula that in reality merely guarantees bankruptcy for anyone unfortunate enough to be sick or injured)

3) there will be no control on the insurance corps denying coverage for anything they want (again, the patients will find many procedures/tests/meds/etc. uncovered and be expected to fork over money that the un-wealthy can ill-afford).

It is worse than nothing. It will not improve things except for insurance company bottom lines. But then, that is their aim.

[tranche]

10. That's if the Finance/Baucus bill was the only one of 5 that mattered.

There's a long way to go... A a final bill to debate.

[Thrill]

11. This guy is trying to make sure Democrats are out of power for a generation

Fucking Idiot

[theoldman]

12. What is the difference between making a person buy health insurance

and making them buy auto insurance? You buy auto insurance to protect yourself and the person you may hurt. Health insurance is for yourself and your family. Why should I have to pay more for my insurance just because you don't have insurance? Someone has to pay when a person goes to the hospital. There is no free service. If I am poor, I get minimum protection. If I am rich, I get maximum protection. I have never heard of a plan where everyone has to pay the same.

[Cha]

14. I don't know..but I've never had

health insurance and I'm 65 now so I'll get the medicare thing but I won't be buying health insurance.

[DoctorMyEyes]

16. Who forced a car on you?

If you don't want to pay auto insurance you can opt to not own a car.

[Dr Fate]

21. Or, you can take the bus. A "public option" in other words. n/t

n/t

[Dr Fate]

20. Driving is a choice where there are options. Cancer is not. Got it? n/t

n/t

[phleshdef]

29. Yea, comparing mandatory car insurance to mandatory health insurace is like saying that...

...its your choice to be alive and if you don't want to pay health insurance, you should kill yourself.

I really doubt this will be in the final bill. Neither side is stupid enough to let that pass.

[ZombieHorde]

27. No one has ever forced me to buy auto insurance.

[tnlefty]

32. From my perspective, you can/will be fucked over at some

point by both, and through in homeowner's insurance as well. I suppose I won't ever know if my beneficiaries will be fucked over by my life insurance, but these others, I'm well aware of.

[BootinUp]

13. Someone correct me if wrong...

Baucus is writing something that can actually get out of the Conference Committee, but could look significantly different after it goes through the rest of the process. No? What does he need to get it out of conference, a simple majority?

[Thrill]

15. He just needs to get it out of the Finance committee . It still has to be reconciled with

the other bills.

[Sebastian Doyle]

17. Fuck Max Bluecross in the ass with a dull rusty chainsaw.

And that goes for anyone else who is a fan of FORCED corporate insurance.

[BootinUp]

23. lol, not sure what would be worse

dull or sharpened, trying not to think about it.

[Autumn]

25. Shit , that is one hell of a picture stuck

in my brain :puke: So why the hell am I enjoying it so much ?

[Hawkeye-X]

18. Fine, I propose that the $3,500 fine automatically gets redirected to Baucus' desk

in Montana and Washington D.C., waiting to get paid.

Hawkeye-X

[noiretextatique]

28. it's $3,800.00, but i second that proposal

arrogant bastard :grr:

[Dr Fate]

19. Sounds like ballot-box death for DEMS.

This must be the "Death panel" plank I've heard so much about.

[jwirr]

22. This guy is from another planet. I do not know a single family that can

afford what he is talking about.

[depakid]

24. At some point, this guy simply needs to be removed from the equation...

[ej510]

26. Max Baucas is a domestic terrorist.

[MadHound]

30. And this coming from the party that supposedly puts people first

Quick, go check Teddy's grave, I imagine he's rotating at a very high rate of speed.

Nader may have been wrong to say that there isn't a dime's worth of difference, but it is looking increasingly more like he was only off by a few cents.

[BlueIdaho]

31. Seriously, what's not to like about Max Baucus?

Its really hard to find this level of compassion in a national figure most days...

Now where'd I but that little sarcasm thingie...

[Daphne08]

33. Mandates with NO public option... are they kidding?

This will really p*ss people off and it will be the death knell for Democrats!

Americans aren't THAT stupid.

[trayfoot]

34. Mandated coverage WITHOUT a public option just profits

more obscene profits for the insurance industry!

[Cali_Democrat]

35. You've gotta be fucking kidding me

What a piece of shit. :mad: