As I said here and here, cost is the primary problem with health care in the U.S. today, not access. Lack of access is a cost problem. Yet the bills coming out of Congress continue to miss the mark significantly.
Last Sunday, Obama took to the campaign trail yet again, stumping for health care reform. In an interview with George Stephanopoulos, President Obama flatly stated he did not agree that Senator Max Baucus’ (D-Mt.) bill markup would increase taxes on the middle class.
Yet clearly, in the markup on page 29, the very first sentence states:
The consequence for not maintaining insurance would be an excise tax.
The markup makes very clear that taxes will be used to force citizens to maintain health care insurance, which is an “individual mandate”. So how can President Obama possibly state it will not increase taxes and it isn’t an individual mandate? How can he argue with Mr. Stephanopoulos about the definition of the word “tax?” (Watch from 3:00 in the video linked below)
Part of the President’s argument is that “you’ve got what is effectively a tax increase taking place on Americans right now.” That point is immaterial to the question originally posed and even then, it doesn’t justify a real tax that President Obama pledged not to support.
And if the direct taxes aren’t enough to give you pause, then consider the hidden taxes. The markup also assesses taxes on plans with values above $8,000 for individuals and $21,000 for families (page 199). These costs won’t be absorbed, they’ll be passed on to the insured, which as President Obama argues, ‘will effectively increase taxes on Americans.’ Senator Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va. agrees;
[Senator Baucus] should understand that (his proposal) means that virtually every single coal miner is going to have a big, big tax put on them because the tax will be put on the company and the company will immediately pass it down
I also take issue with the President linking this individual mandate for health insurance with auto insurance requirements. “Nobody considers that a tax increase” — because it isn’t, Mr. President:
- Auto insurance requirements are mandated at the state level, not the federal level.
- If I don’t want to buy the insurance, I can chose not to drive.
- I don’t pay a federal or state tax to cover uninsured motorists.
- Failure to comply with auto insurance requirements is a one-time penalty, not a recurring tax imposed for the rest of my life
“I’m as mad as hell and I’m not going to take this any more!”
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