Laszewski wrote that this family would be expected to spend $8600 for a health insurance plan that would likely have a $2,000 deductible. If they didn’t buy it, they would be subject to the $3800 fine:
Do you know many families making $66,000 a year that have an extra $8,600 in their checking account—much less for a health policy with big deductibles and out-of pocket costs? Explain this one to Harry and Louise.
To us, this sounds like the troubles people in Massachusetts are having with the state’s mandated insurance.
Indeed, the press has some explaining to do about the individual mandate, and how all these numbers square with what the president meant the other night by security and stability? And while they’re at it, we think that all the other lobbyists coming out of the woodwork on this one would make for some dandy stories.
You aren't kidding that someone has some explaining to do.
Not only $8.600 (700 per month) for premiums, but $2,000 for deductible. So you pay the first 2 grand (166 per month) in medical bills, PLUS 700 per month. For a family who has chronic medical problems that is at least $10,600 (866 per month) who grosses 5,500 per month, or nets around, what? 3,500 per month? That's about 25% of your take-home pay. And that is supposedly SUBSIDIZED.
$60,000 is around the median income for a family. So that is subsidizing half of all families. Three quarters of all families if they go up to 400% FPL.
That is a mighty, mighty gift to the insurance companies. 25% of families' take-home pay for half of all families, PLUS subsidies paid by the federal government. All mandated.
If you have better numbers than this, Trudy, I'm interested to see them.
#1 Posted by James, CJR on Mon 14 Sep 2009 at 04:58 PM
We deserve an administration that tries, FROM THE START, to get THE BEST POSSIBLE DEAL for the PEOPLE of this country, even if it means making some waves. Obviously, Obama and the Senate Dems don't get that they work for us, and not the insurance companies.
Healthcare seems easy for European countries and Canada. I don't see why we can't or shouldn't have what they have.
Are they better than us? NO. Are they more deserving of a healthy life without these corporate monkeys on their backs? NO. If California has a recall for their governor, we need the same thing for Presidents, Senators, etc.
A vote of no confidence.
Could somebody please investigate the Obama administration and the Senate Finance committee for corruption?
There is NO WAY that there was not some kind of DEAL, planned years ago, between the administration, the GOP and the healthcare and insurance industries to STEAL AWAY the health and security of American families. Its all a big act, a big joke, on us. Please, if you are inside one of those organizations, and you know of corruption, expose it, and expose it widely.
This whole country needs affordable high quality health care for everybody, not crap insurance. People lose their jobs because they get sick. The stress is destroying this country. People cannot afford it.
Obama may look fancy but we can't afford HIM - or his generous bailouts, using our money, for the insurance industry.
This is a national health emergency. Look at it this way, if we can't use the government's muscle to DRIVE costs, like drug costs, down to international norms, and cut out that waste, affordable health care AND our country's future are doomed.
#2 Posted by Tom W, CJR on Tue 15 Sep 2009 at 01:05 PM
A "deal" planned years ago between the "administration" and the other players? How, pray tell? Did they plot this while they were plotting to plant that birth certificate in Hawaii? Or, hey! maybe that's WHY they planted the birth certificate! They've been plotting ALL THESE YEARS to steal health and security from American families! Now that Obama has been in office 8 MONTHS the plot is discovered!
::eyeroll::
#3 Posted by James, CJR on Tue 15 Sep 2009 at 01:21 PM