CBO scores the Senate Health Bill

[keepthefaith]

CBO revises the costs.....

 

Upwards

 

 

 

 

Eh, what's another $115 Billion now a days?

 

Hey, we just got our love letter from Blue Cross. 36% increase in HC costs for the company for the next 12 months. I thought this bill would help reduce our costs?

[erynthered]

Hey, we just got our love letter from Blue Cross. 36% increase in HC costs for the company for the next 12 months. I thought this bill would help reduce our costs?

 

 

400,000 new job, and thousands of people not dieing should be worth 36%, racist bastard.

[Chef Jim]

Hey, we just got our love letter from Blue Cross. 36% increase in HC costs for the company for the next 12 months. I thought this bill would help reduce our costs?

 

The president of our company said ours will be going up a few hundred grand.

[John Adams]

Hey, we just got our love letter from Blue Cross. 36% increase in HC costs for the company for the next 12 months. I thought this bill would help reduce our costs?

 

Confirmed here as well. Blue Cross's POS plan that we used to offer free to all employees just hit the tipping point. Our total increase is something like $350K. It's a sad day but we've decided to charge employees $100/month from now on and will charge them 40% of all future Blue Cross increases. We're still swallowing most of it but it sucks to not provide for our employees the way we've always done.

 

For you libs on the board, that's how us evil business owners feel when we can't provide for our employees in the way we always have. We feel !@#$ing awful. But frankly, we don't run a non-profit and can't keep eating 300K/year increases.

[erynthered]

Confirmed here as well. Blue Cross's POS plan that we used to offer free to all employees just hit the tipping point. Our total increase is something like $350K. It's a sad day but we've decided to charge employees $100/month from now on and will charge them 40% of all future Blue Cross increases. We're still swallowing most of it but it sucks to not provide for our employees the way we've always done.

 

For you libs on the board, that's how us evil business owners feel when we can't provide for our employees in the way we always have. We feel !@#$ing awful. But frankly, we don't run a non-profit and can't keep eating 300K/year increases.

 

 

......and also for you libs this is coming from a moderate. How's that look to you Pasta Joe?

 

Fcuuking retards.

[John Adams]

......and also for you libs this is coming from a moderate. How's that look to you Pasta Joe?

 

Fcuuking retards.

 

I already know the response. "You could make less and still pay it you greedy prick."

 

And yes, we could. And no, we won't. After a decade of watching our heath care costs increase by 10-15% every year and eat our bottom line, we decided to if not stop the profit leak, at least stem it.

[keepthefaith]

Confirmed here as well. Blue Cross's POS plan that we used to offer free to all employees just hit the tipping point. Our total increase is something like $350K. It's a sad day but we've decided to charge employees $100/month from now on and will charge them 40% of all future Blue Cross increases. We're still swallowing most of it but it sucks to not provide for our employees the way we've always done.

 

For you libs on the board, that's how us evil business owners feel when we can't provide for our employees in the way we always have. We feel !@#$ing awful. But frankly, we don't run a non-profit and can't keep eating 300K/year increases.

 

 

We're gonna shop for the first time in 7 years and until now we've funded 100% of the premium and all the increases for everyone. There are only 12 total employees so it won't be that complicated and the goal will be to continue to pay 100%. A friend of mine with a slightly larger company transitioned to a self-funded program 2 years ago. We'll look at that too.

[KD in CA]

We're gonna shop for the first time in 7 years and until now we've funded 100% of the premium and all the increases for everyone. There are only 12 total employees so it won't be that complicated and the goal will be to continue to pay 100%. A friend of mine with a slightly larger company transitioned to a self-funded program 2 years ago. We'll look at that too.

 

Have you considered a co-employment or leasing arrangement (i.e., ADP Total Source)? It's tough getting any decent rates when you have so few employees if you stand on your own.

[keepthefaith]

Have you considered a co-employment or leasing arrangement (i.e., ADP Total Source)? It's tough getting any decent rates when you have so few employees if you stand on your own.

 

In Illinois companies under 50 employees are rated in groups with other small companies. Our rates have actually been quite good historically, less expensive than many larger organizations I've been able to compare. Once you get to 50 employees you're rated on your own which works against companies with older employees or employees that have had catostophic events.

[Spiderweb]

I actually DO complain about having to pick up the tab for people who are too lazy to take care of themselves. The amount of taxes we pay in California just for anchor babies is enough to make my skull split in two, and if I could pick up my business and move it to another state I would. So either way, I'm paying. And as a small business owner, there is NO WAY IN HELL this, or any other of these bills, is going to save me "a little money." It's only going to cost me more because everytime a lightbulb turns on in someone's head in DC, the answer is to tax "the rich" because it's just a drop in the bucket.

 

The bottom line is this: to the Democrats in power, it seems the ONLY option is a public option. They refuse to consider any other options, except for maybe the "trigger" option which we both know will have more booby traps built into it than anyone can imagine.

 

We're not going to agree on this because I have, and always will, take care of myself, regardless of my income, and it is impossible for me to accept that most people can not do the same. Yes, I know, some people need help, but not 35 million, or whatever the number is this week . And the idea that "Well, you've been paying all along anyway, so why would you care" is just ridiculous. I don't like paying now, I won't like paying in the future, and by MAKING everyone buy something simply because they were born in this country is pathetic.

 

The only thing that is pathetic is not to admit that we have a real health care problem, both in covering people (both with pre-existing conditions and those who simply cannot afford it), and the outrageous annual increases in cost.

 

The plan we have now, a plan that has been reported on numerous times to be very similar to that of which both the Nixon and Regan administrations, simply may not accomplish cost reductions or containment desired. The "pathetic" fact is that our elected officials failed us. One party refused to take part, and the other basically tweaked previous administrations plans and passed it into law.

 

I have been in the Import business for over 25 years and have extensive dealings with Canada and to a somewhat lesser degree, have had years of interactions with Great Britain, Germany, Japan, France, etc. Not once, in many discussions we've had at diners, lunches and personal moments, has a single one of my foreign colleagues or current/potential customers ever said they wished they had our system of health care. Not one single time. To them, health care reform for the USA is a no brainer and long overdue.

 

Had health care form been successful back in 1939 (what I can find is the first serious attempt), we wouldn't be debating this today, nor would have uninsured or costs that are more than double that of our foreign neighbors. Yet then, as it still exists today, big business paid dearly to wreck anything that would infringe on it's unmitigated greed.

 

Had long ago passed a real Heath Care plan, we could now be addressing the GOP penchant for accruing such massive year after year deficits that were put into play the past 30 years by the GOP's hero himself, the inventor of modern day deficit spending, Ronald Regan. We have dug such an abyss with the recession, poorly timed tax cuts by GWB that gave over 52% of it to the top 5% of income earners in this country, at a time we need more funds to pay for two wars begun under the GWB years. A country in which the top 1% in 1973 owned 8% of the USA to a now 23% today. Income shift? Socialism? Yes, but we gave it to the rich. Robin Hoods we aren't. And the illogical part of it all, millions of hard working folks, struggling wee to week have support all this, all while they were represented less and less by those they chose to elect. So get off your, "I take care of my own" pedestal.

 

....and if you think "business" holds all the answers, then you must have been sleeping while Enron raped, pillaged, and plundered your state before they imploded.

[GG]

Certainly an interesting take in how allowing the most productive class to keep more of their earnings is viwed as a give-away, while having >50% of the population not paying any income tax is okey dokey.

[IDBillzFan]

The only thing that is pathetic is not to admit that we have a real health care problem, both in covering people (both with pre-existing conditions and those who simply cannot afford it), and the outrageous annual increases in cost.

 

The plan we have now, a plan that has been reported on numerous times to be very similar to that of which both the Nixon and Regan administrations, simply may not accomplish cost reductions or containment desired. The "pathetic" fact is that our elected officials failed us. One party refused to take part, and the other basically tweaked previous administrations plans and passed it into law.

 

I have been in the Import business for over 25 years and have extensive dealings with Canada and to a somewhat lesser degree, have had years of interactions with Great Britain, Germany, Japan, France, etc. Not once, in many discussions we've had at diners, lunches and personal moments, has a single one of my foreign colleagues or current/potential customers ever said they wished they had our system of health care. Not one single time. To them, health care reform for the USA is a no brainer and long overdue.

 

Had health care form been successful back in 1939 (what I can find is the first serious attempt), we wouldn't be debating this today, nor would have uninsured or costs that are more than double that of our foreign neighbors. Yet then, as it still exists today, big business paid dearly to wreck anything that would infringe on it's unmitigated greed.

 

Had long ago passed a real Heath Care plan, we could now be addressing the GOP penchant for accruing such massive year after year deficits that were put into play the past 30 years by the GOP's hero himself, the inventor of modern day deficit spending, Ronald Regan. We have dug such an abyss with the recession, poorly timed tax cuts by GWB that gave over 52% of it to the top 5% of income earners in this country, at a time we need more funds to pay for two wars begun under the GWB years. A country in which the top 1% in 1973 owned 8% of the USA to a now 23% today. Income shift? Socialism? Yes, but we gave it to the rich. Robin Hoods we aren't. And the illogical part of it all, millions of hard working folks, struggling wee to week have support all this, all while they were represented less and less by those they chose to elect. So get off your, "I take care of my own" pedestal.

 

....and if you think "business" holds all the answers, then you must have been sleeping while Enron raped, pillaged, and plundered your state before they imploded.

I have no problem helping the helpless. My problem is being forced to help the clueless. And if you think my personal state of independence is somehow preached from a pedestal, you may want to re-evaluate why you think you're looking up at my position. If you don't understand the pathetic and long-term ramifications of a government forcing a resident to purchase something simply because they're a resident, and actually holding back their owed taxes if they DON'T comply with this embarrassing piece of ass-sucking legislation, I can't help you. If you somehow think making people spend ten years to pay for six years of service is a good idea, I can't help you. If you can't understand how poorly written this law is, and how much hocus-pocus has gone into the budgeting of it...a budget that our children and grandchildren will be paying off their entire lives...I really can't help you.

 

But that doesn't seem to be problem, because apparently as long as the government is helping you, you don't need anyone else's help anyway. Preach on, Spidey.

[Magox]

Certainly an interesting take in how allowing the most productive class to keep more of their earnings is viwed as a give-away, while having >50% of the population not paying any income tax is okey dokey.

Why stop him with those silly things called facts? He was on a roll.....

[DC Tom]

Hey, we just got our love letter from Blue Cross. 36% increase in HC costs for the company for the next 12 months. I thought this bill would help reduce our costs?

 

Although to be truly honest, absolutely no one suggested the bill would start to control costs immediately.

[Magox]

Health-Care Bill Surprise: 1099 Nightmare

 

Anyone who makes it to page 737 of the massive health-care bill approved by Congress in March will find a three-paragraph section that has nothing to do with hospitals, doctors, or drugs. The provision, inserted by Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee to help offset the cost of the bill, requires companies to report to the IRS payments of more than $600 a year to any vendor. The intent is noble: to capture $2 billion or more a year in taxes on income that currently goes unreported by contractors and small businesses.

 

Business advocates fear it could generate a flood of paperwork. While the provision affects all companies, small businesses will be slammed the hardest because they often lack the compliance departments and legions of accountants that corporations retain on staff.

 

Today, businesses must file 1099-MISC forms only for freelancers and other service providers that aren't incorporated. The form is meant to make sure these workers pay taxes that the business would withhold if they were regular employees. The new rule, set to take effect in 2012, will expand such reporting to include payments to companies, and for goods as well as services. That means businesses will need to get tax ID numbers and file forms for almost all suppliers—and track all their small expenses to see which vendors meet the threshold. Spend $600 on cell-phone service, at FedEx, or fueling up at the local gas station? Better get their tax ID number. Buy new computers? File a 1099. "It's going to be a compliance nightmare," says Rob Seltzer, an accountant in Beverly Hills, Calif. He figures he would go from filing two 1099s to 15.

[John Adams]

Health-Care Bill Surprise: 1099 Nightmare

 

That is insane. We run a 25M/year business and you can't imagine the paperwork nightmare such a provision creates.

 

I now think of this thread as the Magox's last post wins thread..

[DC Tom]

Health-Care Bill Surprise: 1099 Nightmare

 

That would mean my former company would now have to get tax ID numbers for Staples, Verizon, Comcast, Marriot, Hilton, Safeway, Fed Ex, Pitney Bowes, EDS, Xerox, HP, Dell...

 

And the other side of the coin: Comcast, for example, is going to be bombarded with a slew of 1099s from every company that uses their business high-speed internet service. What the hell are they supposed to do with them? And how much extra work is this for the IRS? Hell, I bet it costs the IRS more than the $2B they're trying to recover.

 

What an utterly !@#$ing stupid idea.

[/dev/null]

That would mean my former company would now have to get tax ID numbers for Staples, Verizon, Comcast, Marriot, Hilton, Safeway, Fed Ex, Pitney Bowes, EDS, Xerox, HP, Dell...

 

And the other side of the coin: Comcast, for example, is going to be bombarded with a slew of 1099s from every company that uses their business high-speed internet service. What the hell are they supposed to do with them? And how much extra work is this for the IRS? Hell, I bet it costs the IRS more than the $2B they're trying to recover.

 

What an utterly !@#$ing stupid idea.

 

And those are just large companies with accounting divsions who can handle all the requests for tax IDs

 

What about the gas station down the street where you fill up the company vehicle?

Or the local auto mechanic you take it for oil changes, inspections, preventative maintainaince?

Or the restaurant you take clients to?

Or the doughnut shop, pizza place, etc from which you pick up a little treat for your employees?

 

Yeah, they're really going to enjoy the extra paperwork

[Chef Jim]

And those are just large companies with accounting divsions who can handle all the requests for tax IDs

 

What about the gas station down the street where you fill up the company vehicle?

Or the local auto mechanic you take it for oil changes, inspections, preventative maintainaince?

Or the restaurant you take clients to?

Or the doughnut shop, pizza place, etc from which you pick up a little treat for your employees?

 

Yeah, they're really going to enjoy the extra paperwork

 

You know it appears that this bill was drafted and approved by people who have never ever run a business.

[keepthefaith]

You know it appears that this bill was drafted and approved by people who have never ever run a business.

 

Yes. It's ridiculous to generate a 1099 for goods or services that are sold to a company and invoiced by that supplier.