Bush and Reid spar over health care and taxes

[cal04]

President George W. Bushpledged to fight soaring health care costs in a preview on Saturday of his election-year State of the Union address, while a leading Democrat blamed Republicans for problems in a new prescription-drug program and recent corruption scandals. Bush and Sen. Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, dueled in radio addresses over health care, tax cuts and recent lobbying scandals in Congress. Republicans, nervous about the scandals and public doubts over the Iraqwar, are seeking to keep control of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate in the November midterm elections.

Bush said he would push to limit health-care costs by expanding tax-free "Health Savings Accounts," which let people set aside money for routine medical expenses. "This year, I will ask Congress to take steps to make these accounts more available, more affordable and more portable," Bush said. Small businesses should be able to pool their risk so they can get discounts on health insurance, he said. "For the sake of America's small businesses, workers and families, we must ... make health care more affordable and accessible," Bush said in his weekly radio broadcast. Bush on January 31 will deliver to Congress his State of the Union address laying out his agenda for the year. Several Republicans have said they expect the health-care initiative to be cited in that speech.

Reid, in the Democrats' response to Bush's radio address, highlighted problems in a new prescription-drug benefit under the Medicare health program for elderly and disabled people. Since the benefit was launched on January 1, many eligible patients have been hit by administrative problems that have made it difficult to get their prescription costs covered. About half of the states intervened to pay for drugs for people who had problems obtaining coverage. "The state of the union today is that we have low-income Americans begging for their prescription drugs, and seniors going without any coverage," Reid said. Reid also urged Bush to use his State of the Union speech to address recent corruption scandals, such as one involving lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who has pleaded guilty in a bribery investigation implicating at least one Republican congressman.

"The American people need to hear him (Bush) denounce the Republican culture of corruption, and tell us how he is going to reform our nation's capital," Reid said. Bush and Reid also argued over recent tax cuts and efforts by the president to make them permanent. Bush said those who oppose the extension want to "raise your taxes." But Reid accused the Republicans of using "doublespeak" in promoting tax breaks as part of a deficit-reduction effort, when the breaks would actually increase the federal budget deficit.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060121/pl_nm/bush_economy_dc

[realFedUp]

1. the elderly now know who really benefits....

Bush Inc. Pharma-Suits.

[NanceGreggs]

2. Well, there you go, America!

Bush wants to expand tax-free "Health Savings Accounts," which let people set aside money for routine medical expenses.

So instead of feeding your children on a regular basis, instead of putting gas in your car to get to work, instead of wasting your money on things like mortgage payments, utility bills, and other such nonsense, just take all of that EXTRA CASH you find yourself with between paycheques, and put it into a tax-free savings account!

Ya gotta give credit where it's due - Bush has the ANSWER TO ALL OF OUR HEALTH CARE PROBLEMS!

[rurallib]

3. Like most regressive ideas - it's great if you have money

Yet another tax dodge so that besides getting either no health care or shitty health care the poor will see added burdens to the national debt which guess who will pay?

[emdee]

4. One of these accounts was offered at my husband's workplace...

If anyone is thinking about it, read the fine print. It's an account that you put money in and then can take out for medical needs - even over the counter drugs, it boasts. But, you have to plan carefully, because whatever money is left in the account at the end of the year is, suddenly, not yours anymore. We didn't choose that option.
emdee

[NanceGreggs]

5. You're kiddin', right?

Please share this information (here, or start a 'warning' thread) so that people know what the facts are here.

I live in Canada, so this doesn't affect me; therefore, I don't know the details. If you do, please share them with others so they can make an informed choice.

[emdee]

6. No, I'm not kidding.....

It said to be sure and plan carefully because funds left in at the end of the year were forfeited. It didn't explain very well as to where the funds ended up but it would not have been in my own pocket.
emdee

[salin]

7. Bank on this..

one of bush's next BIG pushes will, in true orwellian style, be to try to end employee-based health insurance in the name of concern with the high number of people currently uninsured.

Expect the rhetoric:

*health care is inefficient due to the "middle man" (they are suggesting that market competition isn't working because consumers are not chosing their health care directly - that is - HR departments must not be bargaining for competitive health care for employees... which is a laughable suggestion)

*That people are unwise in their healthcare choices because of insurance - because low copays do not stop people from going to the doctor if they are only a little sick - thus consumers don't use health care wisely (see, preventative care is unwise... only going to the doctor when your arms is actually falling off... now that is wise). Thus if people had to pay more (that is - buy their own insurance and only buy catastrophic coverage with NO copays and high deductables) - they would use it less which would, through competition (since fewer would be seeing docs) drive prices down (huh? odd that logic - but bush and his cronies are pushing that idea around a lot in the last two weeks.)

The solution - the one that is talked about is giving bigger deductions for "health savings plans". The one being planned to act upon, but is rarely mentioned in the news is BUsh's plans in the name of "tax simplification" - which proposes to END all tax incentives to employers for providing health insurance benefits. That is the real rub - make it even MORE expensive to cover - so that employers will stop offering coverage.

[snowbear]

8. Isn't this a great issue for DOCTOR Dean to be discussing ??

C'mon Howard, you're a doctor!! Your wife is a doctor !!!

If there were ever a topic that he could nail big-time, it's the prescription-drug benefit screw job that our seniors across the nation are pissed off about RIGHT NOW.

I just don't understand why Dean isn't seizing the day on this?

He should be inserting his opinion as not only the Leader of the Democratic party, but as a DOCTOR !!!

[Vinca]

9. Just today I was pricing health saving accounts - we still can't afford

insurance. The least expensive one has a $15,000 deductible for our family of 2 and costs nearly $1,000 a month. I didn't bother reading the fine print about all the things it probably doesn't cover (like pre-existing conditions). Guess we'll continue on and hope we get through year #2 of no health insurance in one piece.