Thursday, September 30, 2010

Obama's healthcare: long-term costs to Cheshire

Here are some of the details provided to the Council on Tuesday night. This sheet provided some details on what healthcare legislation means to Cheshire in 2018:



BOE Chairman Gerry Brittingham asked if the 40% tax kicked in at $0 or was only on a plan above the "Cadillac" cost. The insurance rep wasn't sure. And I'm guessing that members of Congress don't know either.

Tim White

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Tim, here's a good description of the Cadillac tax:

http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2010/March/18/Cadillac-Tax-Explainer-Update.aspx

It says, "The health bill would tax insurers 40 percent on the amount of premiums above the thresholds."

Maybe you could pass that along to the insurance rep.

Anonymous said...

a lot of folks who get the "Cadillac" plans do so because they have special needs kids. Since health reform also basically does in HSA's, we're left as the targets.

Anonymous said...

6:01

A lot of folks get so-called Cadillac plans because they work for large employers, union labor companies and government. The new cadillac is virtually anyone participating a good health plan vs. the vanilla plans we'll all be forced to sign onto.

To be sure big private employers will opt out of offering typical plans and let everyone join the government (cess)pool. (MacDonalds is already pitching for an exemption)

Meanwhile before everything fully kicks in (2014) government employees will very likely be exempted from the new so-called Cadillac plans. This will be billed as a tax cut, a rescue package by big government to spare taxpayers the cost of the paying for the excise tax through higher local taxes.

Now how on this earth that means health insurance got cheaper is beyond my understanding. But one thing is certain our only hope is that we sweep the bumbs out this November and restore sanity to Washington. We'll have to hold our nose two more years while our poor President twists in the proverbial liberal winds of hoped for change.

Tim Slocum

Anonymous said...

I can't believe any estimate that are 8 years out, whether its healthcare costs, local taxes, the state budget, the cost of college, etc.

The main thing is to have health insurance coverage. Many of us have good health insurance, but that doesn't mean we can count on it forever. Some of us could lose our job and find that we have nothing, and we could lose our home. Even if bad things don't happen to us, they could happen to our children. So, be careful about what you wish for.

When you think about health insurance, think about how to reduce its cost, the cost of medicine and the actual cost of medical procedures and last of course the costs of litigation and fraud.

Anonymous said...

Tim,

My wish for you is that you never have a grandchild with a pre-existing condition and have to read the insurance company rejection letters.

The difference between you and those bums in Washington is that you've never spent a single waking minute of your life trying to help the life of anyone you didn't know.

What is your contribution to society, Tim? Besides, of course, the brilliant oratory skills and your stunning good looks.

By the way, the word is spelled b-u-m. "Dumb" has a "B" at the end, not bum.

Anonymous said...

Tim,
Is the Cost to Cheshire the cost of town employees or the cost to the average taxpayer. I'm tired of paying taxes and then realizing the civil servants have better benefits than I. Call it pension envy. Why should the average taxpayer have a lower quality health plan than a civil servant? Or is it civil master?

Anonymous said...

Why should the average taxpayer have a lower quality health plan than a civil servant - -- - -they pay taxes too. Arrogant much?

Anonymous said...

The costs listed are the actual costs per employee by plan...paid for by our property taxes. Remember this next time a union employee cries wolf because their premium goes up by $10/month. It's ridiculous.

Someone has to explain why it's perfectly OK for a union employee to have better healtcare coverage and lower premiums than citizens working in the private sector. And...we foot the bill for them on top of it all. Incredible.

Anonymous said...

union employee to have better healtcare coverage and lower premiums than citizens working in the private sector - The arrogance of posters on this thread is ridiculous. What jobs to you hold that allow you to believe that
"public servants" are beneath you. I am sure that my college education cost similar to yours. The taxes I pay on my home in Cheshire are similar to yours. Perhaps if the CEO's of your companies were not so greedy, you would not be getting laid off, or having your benefits reduced. I feel for you that your career path is not rewarding to you, poor choice on your part. but keep in mind without us lowly "public servants" you would live in a crime ridden, noneducated, dirty town. Now I have to go to my cash vault, on my yacht, and count ALL my money. oh thats right I cant because its a holiday and I have to work to serve the grateful citizens of this community, and Ill do it with a smile. Because Im professional.

Anonymous said...

Why dont any of these health care plans deal with the real issue. The cost increases by the medical community. Doctors keep increasing the cost for their services. Prescription costs are increasing. Hospitals are charging 15 dollars for 2 asprin. Why dosent the government step in and control these costs

Anonymous said...

1:26 PM 10-1

"The difference between you and those bums in Washington is that you've never spent a single waking minute of your life trying to help the life of anyone you didn't know."

And how on earth you know anything about that is beyond me. You got me on bum though...I know better. I promise to spell check better next time.

As for improvements that could be made to healthcare Obamacare is simply an atomic bomb with dangerous fallout and unsustainable costs to ratepayers (all taxpayers) . Reforms could have been made to cover the uninsured and those with catastophic health problems if that was in fact the goal. It was not. Instead we have a government run plan...more Soviet style top down management of our lives. Policy could have been made law where the privately insured could have contributed to a pool to cover those without coverage. To overhaul an entire system under the guise of fixing the healthcare problem was greatly oversold and will never deliver to cost savings and complete equity in the system.

You have used the same tired and old arguements that imply people with my point of view are anti education, anti healthcare knuckle-draggers instead of appreciating the fact that our intent is to limit the power of big brother and restore fiscal accountability to Pollyannas such as yourself.

Tim Slocum

Anonymous said...

1:26
Sounds like you are still raising your children if you are looking at rejection letters for your grandchild.
Isn't it time to let go and let your son/daughter lead their own life and not interfere?

Perhaps you can teach them English since you feel compelled to correct others.

Just curious, how do you know that Tim never helped a life?
What makes you think the bums in Washington have helped a life?
Lately, they seem to be more of a hinderence than a help.