if you read the proposal it specifically says so:
surtax of 1% for single earners of more then $250K and families earning more then $360K ( or $380K - but that's the ballpark).
is it going to be the case? - we need to take everything with the grain of salt, but I'm just quoting the proposal.
Now, out of may here, I deal with insurances, M-Caid, etc every day. I am sick and tired of medical insurance industry demeaning treatment of doctors. While if i deal with such plans as Family health Plus, Child Health Plus - I never have much problems - it's faster and more streamlined. I don't need to explain to some idiot why my patient needs to see a specialist or get a test and get some stupid prior authorizations for brand name drugs.

Of course it's not gonna be 1% for the few fortunate ones. Only a delusional liberal guilt monger can fathom the situation where only the few wealthy ones will have to part with one percent of their superfluous income.
First, imagine the cost of having to run the system. It is a Federal program! They are spending 20 BILLION dollars this year of cost/effect analysis of Medicaid. I cannot even grasp the amount of money required to set it up.
Two, the doctors and patients may start to milk the system. As so happens with Medicaid. And the more abuses will occur the more money will be required to monitor those who attempt to circumvent the protocol.
Three, everyone here understands that simple procedures will be delayed. That's a given. However, if you want the government to regulate healthcare, the government WILL REGULATE YOUR HEALTH CARE. I don't want to explain on the phone to some loser with a comb-over who doesn't give a shit about me why I need a mammogram. CONt'd...

in other words, it's very easy to throw away all kinds of ideas without working in the healthcare system. It is in awful shape and urgently needs some help.
And this is in the country with the best MEDICINE in the world.
But people need to understand the difference between medicine and the healthcare system.

And taxing a small business for not providing insurance? Give me a break! Everyone knows that this will result in layoffs/outsourcing/or going belly up. Which is terrific for the economy. But that's OK, will borrow from China to provide illegal criminals with the best and the most affordable (whatever that means) health care possible

There are other reasons for the high cost of medical care. For example, malpractice insurance that doctors pay to cover themselves for potential lawsuits. I don't know any other country in the world that have this problem. Here, everyone is happy to sue if there is a slight chance to "make money"

Also, does anyone know how much money are spent by pharmaceutical companies to promote their drugs? This adds up to the cost that we all will eventually pay.

Is that addressed in the proposal? I highly doubt.
And finally, it is a known fact that most deadly diseases, including diabetes and heart diseaseare preventable with healthy life style.Obese people and smokersare alsomuch more likely to develop many cancers.Why do I have to pay for people who do not want to take responsibility for taking care of themselves? With this new plan, however, we are all going to have to share responsibilities for thebadchoicesothers make.Doesn't sound fair to me!

Slavik, speaking as a delusional, liberal guilt monger...:-D, I'd have to say that I have no idea how much it will take to provide healthcare to the uninsured (although I'm pretty confident that neither do the Bill's opponents)... perhaps there's a sensible, self centered conservative out there, who would be kind enough to crunch the numbers for me, or are they too busy running around yelling: the sky is falling, the sky is falling (yet again). (H)One thing I do know - believing that it's perfectly acceptable that millions of this country's citizens don't have access to what many consider to be the best medical system in the world, is reprehensible.

addressing some points brought before!
- malpractice, in ,fact, doesn't account for that much- 3-4% or so.
( but for some self employed docs it's just prohibitive, so they become insured through hospitals)
- drug manufacturers marketing is not that much either, their highest expenses are R&D, patents, litigation, etc...(, I know it looks like much..... but we don't even get free pens from them any longer)
-uninsured DO get care, but it becomes more expensive, since it's delivered late and they are sicker at that point.
- as far as sharing into other's poor lifestyle choices - it is a big ethical dilemma, yes..... but we still share into it now - those people get M-caid, M-care, etc. But when NYS wanted to impose Fat tax - a tax on soft beverages - everybody laughed at this....
Nobody is laughing at cigarette tax any more, so "fat" tax will also become a reality.

A new poll suggests public approval of the way President Barack Obama is handling health care reform is slipping.
The Washington Post-ABC News survey says since April, Obama's approval rating on the issue has declined from 57 percent to 49 percent, with disapproval rising from 29 percent to 44 percent.
The president's overall approval rating stands at 59 percent positive and 37 percent negative. It's the first time Obama's approval rating has fallen below 60 percent in Post-ABC polling since he took office.


Full article:

***********.foxnews.com/politics/2009/07/20/poll-obamas-public-approval-health-care-reform-slipping/

Nobody is laughing at cigarette tax any more, so "fat" tax will also become a reality.

Yeah!!! I'm for the "fat" taxes!!!!:-D:-D:-D

********apnews.myway.com/article/20090720/D99I4A0G0.html


Another intersting update from the White House.

They delay the release of the budget update.