House leadership may agree to taxing health benefits and dropping surtax on wealthiest Americans

[Better Believe It]

House May Tax Payrolls, Drop Wealth Levy to Finance Health Plan
By James Rowley and Ryan Donmoyer
January 8, 2010

Jan. 8 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. House lawmakers may agree to pay for the nation’s health-care overhaul by adopting versions of Senate proposals to raise Medicare payroll taxes and tax health benefits for the first time, Democratic aides said.

House leaders may also discard a plan to impose a surtax on the wealthiest Americans, which has come under fire from some Senate Democrats, aides said.

Financing the expansion of insurance coverage to more than 90 percent of Americans looms as the largest issue facing Congress. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, seeking to merge her bill with Senate legislation, yesterday briefed the Democratic caucus on party leaders’ discussions during a conference call.

The talks are at a preliminary stage until the Senate returns later this month, and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel predicted “tough” negotiations. Some House members are vowing to put up a fight over the legislation, which is estimated to cost about $1 trillion over 10 years.

“There’s a gap between us and the Senate and, I guess, the White House on how to pay for health-care reform,” said Representative Joe Courtney of Connecticut, who leads a group of 190 House Democrats opposed to the Senate proposal to levy an excise tax on the most-expensive insurance plans.

President Barack Obama this week urged House leaders to drop their opposition to that tax, a Democratic aide said. The tax has drawn protests from labor unions, which are among the Democratic Party’s biggest backers.

Read the full article at:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=ahxbGWxdoqbQ&pos=9

[uponit7771]

1. ****BULLSHIT****: Another sourceless anit Obama post

[county worker]

5. How is this anti Obama?

If health care plans are taxed, that would be a tax on those making less than $250,000 right? Didn't we hear that taxes on those making under $250,000 would not be raised one dime?

How many heads are there in the sand with yours?

[inna]

13. what in the world are you even babbling about??

You're not making a bit of sense. :crazy:

[shadesofgray]

2. Spineless cowards, as usual.

[W_HAMILTON]

3. Are they fucking idiots?

I agree with increasing a tax like the Medicare tax, because we need to be responsible and raise taxes like these to pay for our increasing costs.

But why include a tax on health insurance as it is? Do they want to lose in 2010? And what the hell are they raising those taxes to pay for? This healthcare bill won't be worth a damn anyway. If we were truly revamping the system, sure, I wouldn't be opposed to increasing taxes in this manner. But to increase taxes, and get what we are getting? They are damn fools.

[Better Believe It]

6. Just take the cap off the Medicare tax. The tax increases proposed are all about giving

those funds to the private insurance companies to partially cover the health insurance premiums of poorer people.

[Raineyb]

7. There is no cap on the Medicare tax. That's FICA. But the tax is quite low a bit more than

1% I would gladly pay a higher medicare tax and have coverage for everyone.

[Better Believe It]

8. You're right. I was thinking of the social security tax. The cap should be taken off that.

[W_HAMILTON]

11. Yes, it should.

Of course, that would mean that Social Security would have to pay more out, unless you are in favor of limiting the amount someone can get. I wouldn't be against that either, even though I know plenty would bitch. I would still do it, even if it means that some rich people are getting tons of money later in life, just because the time value of money and the fact that a lot may die before we have to pay the benefits out anyway. I think the government would still come out ahead if they lifted the limits entirely.

[Better Believe It]

12. The rich have the best possible medical care and probably live longer because of that.

Which means they won't collect as much social security!

[monmouth]

4. They "may" do this and they "may" do that. Talks are at a

"preliminary" stage......???????

[FLAprogressive]

9. the poor and the middle class get the shaft again!

[anonymous171]

10. Why the fuck is this even being fucking discussed?

:grr:

[Odin2005]

14. KILL THE BILL!

[FiveGoodMen]

15. These people are the enemy

They are working to destroy most of us.

They are working to destroy the America most of us loved.

That goes for all of the pukes and most of the Dems.