15 Nov 2013 8:32 am
Interesting idea, but it's like all con plans. It hardly helps the uninsured. Who might not be affected much if at all by the deduction? Many low-income and uninsured people. According to Treasury Department and White House estimates, the proposal would reduce the number of uninsured by 3 million to 5 million people. that's it? wtf? That number is low relative to the total number of uninsured (over 46 million) for two reasons primarily: 43 percent of the uninsured have no income tax liability, according to Kaiser Family Foundation. But they would still get a payroll tax credit on the wages they earn if they buy health insurance. Many uninsured still won't be able to afford coverage even with the new deduction. (More than 50 percent of the uninsured are in the 15 percent tax bracket or less). Others won't want to part with the cost of insurance premiums up front, even though they'll get it back on their tax return. To provide more of the uninsured with coverage, President Bush is also proposing the Affordable Choices Initiative. Although details are still sketchy, the program would offer funding to states that reform their insurance market so as to provide affordable basic coverage for all. The federal funds would be redirected from other programs to help states subsidize coverage for low-income people. You can't fix everything with a tax cut. http://money.cnn.com...ffect/index.htm The point was not the merits of the plan. The point was your eroneous implication that the Repubs did not come up with one. Whether you agreed with the plan or not they did have one. Of course, it was killed. Just like SS.