Posts Tagged ‘Healthcare Vote’

Healthcare Tax Increases – $493 Billion. Total Government Outlays to Reach $2.3 Trillion. Medicare Benefits to Decrease by $465 Billion.

Sunday, March 21st, 2010

Senate Budget Report Provides Interesting Insights Into The Senate Bill:

http://budget.senate.gov/republican/pressarchive/2009/2009-11-19HealthCareFactSheet.pdf

Read how your congressman voted:

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2009/roll887.xml

Other recent links:

http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/industries/health-care/resend-house-approves-historic-overhaul-health-care/

U.S. Chamber Web Site: 

http://www.uschamber.com/chambers/healthcare.htm

 

Now that the House has narrowly passed (220-211, including a single Republican vote from Cao-LA in support) the 2,400 page  Senate version of the Healthcare Bill (which was passed by the Senate on Christmas Eve last year), it is a good time to review how the Senate version is projected to impact businesses, individuals and the U.S. Government.

In addition to income and payroll tax increases, and penalties,  of nearly half a trillion dollars

While the House  also narrowly passed (220-211) their Reconcilaition bill late this evening, the Senate will very likely not agree with all of the House’s suggested changes to the Senate Bill.   The Senate will take up that task later this week.

Read how business owners (but not union shops) will be penalized with a 40% tax on “high cost”/ “Cadillac” medical insurance policies.  File that provision under:  No Good Deed Goes Unpunished.

Also read how taxpayers making more than $200,000 will be be “rewarded” with a .9% addition Hospitalization Insurance (HI) on wages and self-employment income.

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) will now be subject to limitations on tax-free contributions and spending limits.  In addition, deductibility of medical costs will now rise to 10% of Adjusted Gross Income from the current 7.5% thresshold.

D&T Tax Provision Summary :

http://www.deloitte.com/view/en_US/us/Services/tax/112a52f1b5277210VgnVCM100000ba42f00aRCRD.htm?id=email

 

Reuters’ summary timeline of the healthcare roll-out:

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN1914020220100322

 

Hold onto your wallet.

Healthcare Bill and Related Tax Increases Inch Along

Friday, March 19th, 2010

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/19/health-care-whip-count-li_n_505709.html

http://www.slate.com/id/2220222/

The $940 Billion healthcare bill bill continues to move towards a contentious vote on Sunday.  216 votes are needed in the House to pass the Senate version of the healthcare bill which was passed a few months ago.

The front loaded tax collections will offer the administration with some nice window dressing for the budget deficit and the Social Security funding.  However, if this bill moves forward, it will surely have a negative impact on job retention and creation due to the higher cost of labor.  

Many of the healthcare benefits will not kick in until 2014, and it is difficult to project whether cost trends will drop or increase during this period, since the pricing of medical procedures, drugs and other related costs are fairly elastic in the healthcare arena. 

If the House passes the Senate bill, expect both the House and Senate to begin the reconcilaition process to sidestep the supermajority requirement.  To review the proposed Recociliation Provisons to modify the previously adopted Senate Healthcare Bill, see the House link below for details:

http://www.rules.house.gov/amendment_details.aspx?NewsID=4609

Caterpillar Tractor is projecting to incur an increase of 20% in their medical insurance premiums – or $100 million – to cover their 44,000 employees and retirees.

http://gretawire.blogs.foxnews.com/did-you-see-this-caterpillar-says-the-health-care-bill-will-cost-them-100-million-dollars/?action=late-new