Health insurance bill passes the house

[FunkMonk]

In jan 1, 2010, all US monies must be exchanged for Obama Dollars

These are different from Bush Dollars in what way?

[citizen k]

In jan 1, 2010, all US monies must be exchanged for Obama Dollars

These are different from Bush Dollars in what way?

Not as much cocaine on them.

[Fate]

Crying shame, I tell ya. I swear, if we have to give up that plasma and XBox 360...

That probably wouldn't even come close to covering the bill.

The bill? No. The premiums (or if you're crazy and choose the fine)? Yes.

The fine is $3,800 per year in the Senate version. I don't know the price tag of the public option premium in the House or Senate bills, but individual states such as Washington offer a public option on a sliding scale of your ability to pay between $90-250 a month.

[garbon]

With this, you're smacked with a penalty, and no real options if you fall into the gap between what the government says you can afford and what you actually can afford.

Wouldn't this have no effect at all if there wasn't some sort of penalty?

[Camerus]

In jan 1, 2010, all US monies must be exchanged for Obama Dollars

These are different from Bush Dollars in what way?

Not as much cocaine on them.

[DontSayBanana]

The bill? No. The premiums (or if you're crazy and choose the fine)? Yes.

The fine is $3,800 per year in the Senate version. I don't know the price tag of the public option premium in the House or Senate bills, but individual states such as Washington offer a public option on a sliding scale of your ability to pay between $90-250 a month.

Which is why if I start getting fined, I'm taking that shit to court.  I can't pay that.  I can't even pay the bills I already have without family assistance.  I'm really hoping the government's ready for the number of right to privacy suits that are going to be taken to court when the fines start forcing lower-income families even further behind on bills, but I'm pretty sure that's a false hope.

[Faeelin]

This is going to incredibly hard on a lot of people, I think. The requirement to buy insurance will be what kills this for a whole lot of people.

It's not like car insurance. If you can't afford car insurance, you can just not drive and take public transportation. With this, you're smacked with a penalty, and no real options if you fall into the gap between what the government says you can afford and what you actually can afford.

Isn't the point that if you can't afford it the government will subsidize it?

[DontSayBanana]

Isn't the point that if you can't afford it the government will subsidize it?

In theory.  As Meri subtly pointed out, there's often a disparity between what the government thinks you can afford and what you can actually afford.

[garbon]

Of course, there is generally a disparity between what citizens think they can afford and what they can actually afford.

[Admiral Yi]

I'll use the Yi Strategy, and answer a question with a question, OK?

Depends.  If you drop the "public option would have lowered costs" line then it's OK.  If you bring it up again we can revisit it then.

[Eddie Teach]

Depends.  If you drop the "public option would have lowered costs" line then it's OK.  If you bring it up again we can revisit it then.

It would lower my costs. 

[Fate]

The bill? No. The premiums (or if you're crazy and choose the fine)? Yes.

The fine is $3,800 per year in the Senate version. I don't know the price tag of the public option premium in the House or Senate bills, but individual states such as Washington offer a public option on a sliding scale of your ability to pay between $90-250 a month.

Which is why if I start getting fined, I'm taking that shit to court.  I can't pay that.  I can't even pay the bills I already have without family assistance.  I'm really hoping the government's ready for the number of right to privacy suits that are going to be taken to court when the fines start forcing lower-income families even further behind on bills, but I'm pretty sure that's a false hope.

The country can no longer afford to pay for you and others like you who abuse health care services only when shit hits the fan in an emergency room. Time to pay up.

[Admiral Yi]

It would lower my costs. 

How is that?

[Neil]

The public option does lower costs, because the public insurer has the advantage of being able to tell the hospitals what price they are allowed to charge.

[alfred russel]

This is going to incredibly hard on a lot of people, I think. The requirement to buy insurance will be what kills this for a whole lot of people.

It's not like car insurance. If you can't afford car insurance, you can just not drive and take public transportation. With this, you're smacked with a penalty, and no real options if you fall into the gap between what the government says you can afford and what you actually can afford.

If we are going to provide universal care, it is going to suck for whoever has to pay for it.