President Bush's Plan for Health Care Reform

[OldRegular]

President Bush's Plan for Health Care Reform

How George W. Bush Would Have Replaced Obamacare

In January of 2007, George W. Bush was entering the final stretch of his two-term presidency. Bush, however, chose not to ride off simply into the sunset. Instead, he put forth a comprehensive plan to reform the private health insurance market. It’s long-forgotten now, because Democrats had just regained control of Congress, and these newly-empowered legislators pronounced the Bush plan “dead on arrival.” In many ways, though, the Bush proposal was impressive and credible. It would have expanded coverage while reducing the deficit. Should it serve as the starting point for replacing Obamacare?

//snip//

Bush’s proposal sought to eliminate the unlimited tax break for employer-sponsored insurance, replacing it with a standard deduction for everyone. Under the plan, anyone—employed or not—who bought at least catastrophic insurance would not pay income or payroll taxes on the first $7,500 of their income, or the first $15,000 for a family plan.

It’s an idea with a long history in Republican policy circles. In the early 1980s, President Reagan proposed capping the employer-sponsored insurance deduction, in order to reduce the deficit, but it went nowhere in Congress, because Republicans saw it as a tax increase, and labor unions saw it as a threat to their generous benefit packages. In 1992, George H.W. Bush also sought to cap the exclusion and use the savings to fund tax-credit subsidies for the uninsured, but the elder Bush had recently violated his “no new taxes” pledge, and House Republicans were in no mood to raise taxes again.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/theapot...-george-w-bush-would-have-replaced-obamacare/

 

[OldRegular]

That money could be put in health savings accounts by the young and healthy.

 

[FollowTheWay]

President Bush's Plan for Health Care Reform

Bush accomplished NOTHING. "Obamacare" is the law. Why not work with the democrats to improve it rather than going back to nothing?

 

[JohnDeereFan]

That money could be put in health savings accounts by the young and healthy.

I would prefer that. We have catastrophic insurance, but pay out of pocket for everything else.

Our medical bills are relatively low, but being allowed to keep more or our own money to put toward them would be great.

 

[JohnDeereFan]

President Bush's Plan for Health Care Reform

Rand Paul had a brilliant five point plan to reform health insurance using the invisible hand of the free market. I posted it several times during the election, but can't find it now. If I find it, I'll post it for you.

 

[OldRegular]

I would prefer that. We have catastrophic insurance, but pay out of pocket for everything else.

Our medical bills are relatively low, but being allowed to keep more or our own money to put toward them would be great.

Dr Ben Carson has recommended Health Savings Accounts. If my memory is correct there were a couple of years in the 80's when one could set aside a certain dollar amount for a Health Saving Account that was tax free. However if it were not all spent it was lost!

The only way health care costs will be controlled is if people, as Dr Carson says "have some skin in the game" that is have to bear some of the cost. Thet will reduce unnecessary visits and control costs.

 

[OldRegular]

Bush accomplished NOTHING. "Obamacare" is the law. Why not work with the democrats to improve it rather than going back to nothing?

Obamacare is a disaster, Obama is a disaster and a wannabe dictator, the democrat party is a disaster, and only the brain dead would try to justify anything these Marxist do!

 

[just-want-peace]

Obamacare is a disaster, Obama is a disaster and a wannabe dictator, the democrat party is a disaster, and only the brain dead would try to justify anything these Marxist do!

Amen, ditto, and right-on!!!!!!!!!!:BangHead::BangHead::BangHead:

 

[Revmitchell]

Bush accomplished NOTHING. "Obamacare" is the law. Why not work with the democrats to improve it rather than going back to nothing?