NRO’s Campaign Spot:
Two revealing comments from Aetna CEO Ron Williams in an interview with BusinessWeek out now:
Will insurance premiums go up?
The answer is yes, and some of the things that will drive those premiums are significant additional taxes the industry will ultimately have to pay in the first year.
The President said that this bill would not have any impact on people who already had coverage, that it was about the uninsured, that there would be no change. Will this legislation change the coverage of people who are already paying for it?
My perception is, yes, things will change. You might not have a plan that includes the exact same doctors. You might have plans that have richer benefits, and therefore you're going to pay more for benefits you may or may not want. It would have been a better message to say, we're going to make certain you maintain your eligibility.
Higher premiums, and your plan may change, even if you like it as it is. Basically, the health care bill is set to deliver the exact opposite of what President Obama promised.
Well, what he promised to the public.
What he promised to those who were hoping for a crisis that demands the government step in and take over the administration of health care in its entirety — well, that promise appears to proceeding apace just fine, thanks.
Barak Obama is clearly a leader of men.
Again, it is always innacurate to say “socialism doesn’t work,” because it works just fine for the party apparatchiks.
And them as cut a deal with them.
Ron Williams is a probably one of those damn capitalists. Discard at will.
Unless, of course, they have too much or too little coverage (as determined by the feral gummint). If they have too much, the “Cadillac Coverage” tax applies.
Too little, and you’ll end up having to take on more coverage and pay more for it.
What? Teh Won lied to us? I am shocked! Shocked!
A couple of somewhat more optimistic views of the same, and a sign of failure at the margin, where Mara Liasson is taken for the margin.
Meanwhile, Bill Maher smells blood in the water.
I guess if I’m a “poisonous old reptile” then I must deserve whatever is gonna be dished out this year. Me, along with my children’s poisonous, reptilian futures. Crushed underfoot like a scorpion…
And them as cut a deal with them.
If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu.
“I’ll just nip off and shoot myself. Don’t worry, sir. I’ll be very humane.”
Jack Balkin says the Obamacare is okay constitutionally because it is a tax. But didn’t Obama claim no new taxes on people making less than $250,000?
Interesting bind Obama finds himself in on the tax issue with Obamacare.
Higher premiums, and your plan may change, even if you like it as it is.
But the costs and changes would have been so much worse if Congress hadn’t done something! Just think of all the policies created or saved by this legislation!
Too little, and you’ll end up having to take on more coverage and pay more for it.
I, for one, am looking forward to paying for prostate cancer coverage.
Interesting bind Obama finds himself in
What bind? So his actions don’t comport with his promises. For a narcissist, this is no bind, it’s YOU lying about what he said.
Videotape doesn’t count.
I’m looking forward to paying for pregnancy coverage, as well as infertility treatment coverage.
Woohoo!!
Fresh anecdotal evidence, received within the hour:
A guy I work with knows a small businessman who runs a company selling trucking equipment (trailers, I think). He crunched the numbers this weekend, and today announced he is dropping health insurance benefits for his employees. Apparently his costs will triple, and it would be enough of an additional burden to drive him out of business.
Fortunately I don’t have that problem (yet); the company I work for is a state-regulated utility, so we’ll just pass those costs on the poor rate-paying suckers. Since this is a solid blue state, I don’t feel too bad about it.
Wherein Mencken’s aphorism applies eh mongo, “good and hard”, wasn’t it?
Whoops – part of my benefits at my evil private sector employer include insurance from Aetna. How long until they are pronounced ANATHEMA!!
so know paying money to a private co. by the coercion of the state is called a tax. who knew
And yet, the proposed tax on big TARP recipients is a “responsibility fee.” We’ll have completed the merry circle when we start disputing the definition of “is.”
Related, from Geraghty:
A Long Post: The Complete List of Obama Statement Expiration Dates
sdferr,
Bingo. Until they understand the consequences of their ideas in up-close and personal terms, these people are just not going to learn.
As a straight male, I can’t wait to pay for AIDS coverage. Anything else I can do to help the gay community, please let me know.
#9 Joe –
The Joint Committee on Taxation indicated that the IRS could not levy or seize relating to the HCR penalty, nor could they assess civil or criminal penalties. So they’re taking the stance that this isn’t a tax, which would then imply that Jack Balkin’s argument is wrong on its face. Which would make the HCR penalty unconstitutional.
Somebody’s lying here, and I think it’s everybody.
Anything else I can do to help the gay community, please let me know.
Switch teams, obviously.
Switch teams, obviously.
Are you insinuating that teh gay is a choice? For shame.
I just want an explanation of HCR sent to me in good ol dummy language
Howard, I think, “I won” pretty well sums it up.
“A guy I work with knows a small businessman who runs a company selling trucking equipment (trailers, I think). He crunched the numbers this weekend, and today announced he is dropping health insurance benefits for his employees. Apparently his costs will triple, and it would be enough of an additional burden to drive him out of business.”
Fortunately, what’s left of my little shop? Both little Bro and me have our own. I’m still not sure how this will affect us though as 200,00 gross is about right.
And Dicentra? I was just notified that single males will be mandated to cover some female thingy… Think it was gynecolgical in nature, can’t remember the exact term as it was medical.