Uh Oh! Better Hope...

...you don't get sick. Now President Bush is going to screw with health insurance the way he screwed with Social Security and Medicare Part D. If his new plan takes effect, it will virtually wipe out health care for all Americans except his wealthy friends.

If the President's health care intitiative is adopted, only those making enough money to sock away thousands in a health-care savings account will be able to afford medical treatment. I still can't decide whether the man is a blithering idiot or if he really just doesn't care about people. Asshole!

From postcrescent.com - click here for the article...

At the center of the Bush plan is a proposal to move toward a super-charged version of health savings accounts, or HSAs, that Congress first authorized in 2003. If you are not familiar with HSAs they allow you to save tax-free dollars in accounts to pay for health care expenses. These accounts are accompanied by high-deductible comprehensive insurance policies that cover preventive care and larger medical bills. Since January 2004, more than 3 million Americans have enrolled in HSAs.

Those in a HSA today pay the first $1,500 (individuals) or $2,100 (families) "out of pocket" and then are eligible to make tax-deductible contributions up to $5,450 a year (in a family plan) to the HSA and later use that money to pay uncovered medical expenses. Bush's plan would let that same family contribute $10,500 per year tax-free.

In addition, they could claim a tax credit equal to 15.3 percent of the amount they deposited. Not only that, but if the worker buys their own high-deductible insurance policy, rather than the one offered at work, the premiums paid would be fully tax-deductible and eligible for the 15.3 percent tax credit.