Pretty sorry of the GOP congress to sit there and enjoy their government benefit healthcare insurance while "symbolically" denying "the people's" insurance coverage.
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The GOP first claimed that is was good until a democrat made it happen. The GOP then claimed it was unconstitutional. Well, the majority of the people and the courts have spoken! But the insurance companies have a congressman stuck in every pocket and before Obamacare these insurance companies were allowed to charge high premiums, cut benefits, deny claims and spend your premiums for other purposes other than for your "medical cost". It was only an "illusion" of payment for your care by using "adjustments" and insurance companies want to continue to spend the premiums for other purposes; such as CEO bonuses or whatever. The illusion of payment causes doctors and hospitals to jack up their prices and then the insurance companies jack up their prices, cut benefits or charge more out-of-pocket cost for the patient. Well, Obamacare stops this shell con game and now insurance companies must use 80 to 85% of your premium for your medical cost or refund the policy holder. In fact, $1.1 billion will be refunded to policy holders in August of next month. So the only "symbolism" that is going on with this GOP do-nothing corrupt congress is to protect insurance companies' "illusion" of payment. A fraudulent congress for fraudulent companies. How fitting!
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@REASON, Nothing is stopping most people from buying coverage now. Some will never be covered even with this "national health" law. I do agree the govt officials should have the same style coverage as the rest of us.

Poorboy: Wrong! People are forgetting WHY the reform was necessary!
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129 million Americans have some form of pre-existing condition in which the insurance companies were denying coverages for the very thing that patients needed the coverage for the most or were at risk for having their policy cancelled.
Another 30 million were uninsured either because they had been denied, could not afford or refused to buy insurance which all drives up the medical cost, our premiums, our taxes and our debt. Not to mention all the pain suffering, deaths, bankruptcies, and economic impact on our country as a whole.
Obamacare provides access to healthcare and according to the CBO will reduce the deficit by over $210 in the first 10 years and reduces the deficit by $1 trillion by the following 10 years. Also, according to the CBO without Obamacare the Medicare trust fund would be exhausted in 2017 and would reopen the doughnut hole on prescription drugs.
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It is the right thing to do!

GOP to the world; "LET EM DIE!"

According to the CBO (the "Official" scorekeeper) in a letter to Boehner (page 4)... A repeal will add $145 billion to the deficit. And will increase premiums for people who get coverage from large-employer plans and possibly small employers plans. Individuals and small businesses would lose their subsidies, insurance companies would provide fewer benefits and cover less of the enrollee's health care expenses.

Lazybar: Do your employees make you a profit? And if so what percentage of that profit are you allowing the employees for their skills and their labor?

Meh. Apparently all you have to do to avoid the tax is make sure Uncle Sam doesn't owe you money at the end of the year. There is no provision - other than garnishing a tax refund - for the IRS to get you.
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Unfortunately, seems to me that's what I'd do if I chose to not have insurance. As for the CBO, can we all agree here that it's just guess work? Nobody has a real clue whether this is going to cost or save money.

reason i think your posting on the wrong thread but i will address it anyways.15 years ago on turn keyed items 50% paid for the item,25% profit to me,and 25% paid employees about double min wage and thier health ins plus operating cost.in todays world very few things are turn keyed,products cost more and there is only so much i can charge,min wage has doubled,operating cost have doubled,so now new employees barely make over min wage and i can no longer pay for thier ins.the profit i make is about a 1/3 of what i used to make,if it was not for the golden era and being able to pay off everything back then i would not be able to operate now.times are tough and have gotten tougher in last 2 years,i can tell by what people buy that there is no money for extras anymore.every one complains about higher wages but few know exactly what operations cost are.deisel fuel alone cost over 3 times what it did back then

Here are some facts:
In Nat'l Health Care, we lag behind the hated Europeans by a century.
Why so many believe that Americans do not deserve an affordable Health Care System, rather than the cumbersome and expensive and lousy system (but profitable for GOP supporters) is a mystery... however, that support is likely based on a lack of education.
It isn't just folks with preexisting conditions that will never be able to have insurance but also those covered, when some magical limit is reached, the Insurance Co's will drop you like a hot rock and you'll no longer be covered for those staggering medical bills.
Older folks go bankrupt EVERY DAY because their medical bils are far greater than any "coverage" or retirement funds they have.
We are the last industrialized, civilized country having this stupid argument about the necessity of having a National Health Care System that takes the profits out of Health Care, out of the underwriters pockets, out of the stockholdres portfolios and out of the medical corporations businesses.
If any of you god-loving Christians out there are still bragging on your faith in the Big Invisable Being, then think about the teachings of your Faith.
There is nothing in your holy book about greed being good or that denying care to the needy is god's way of filling up Heaven and therefore you must be his helpers in that regard.
The GOP claims the high ground when it comes to their version of religious support, but they deny every teaching of Gee-sus and the New Test just to fill their own pockets and the pockets of their supporters. Either follow your religious beliefs or shut up!

• Repeal Raises Taxes on 18 Million Middle-Class Families: With the repeal of the law, 18 million middle-class people would be denied a tax credit averaging $4,000 each that would make it easier to purchase health insurance starting in 2014.  Additionally, small businesses would lose tax credits for health insurance for two million workers already provided by the Affordable Care Act.
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• 129 Million Americans with Pre-Existing Conditions Lose Security: Repeal of the health care law would mean up to 129 million Americans, including 17 million children, lose the security of knowing they cannot be denied coverage or charged more due to a pre-existing condition, like cancer or even asthma, starting in 2014.
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• 33 Million Americans Will Not Gain Health Insurance: Repealing the Affordable Care Act would mean that marketplaces where Americans can compare private insurance policies would not open in 2014.  States would not be able to receive federal funding to close Medicaid’s coverage gaps. 
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• 6.6 Million Young Adults Lose Coverage Through Parents’ Plans: 6.6 million young adults, including 3.1 million who were previously uninsured, would lose the option of staying on their parents’ health plans if the health care law were repealed.
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• 5.3 Million Seniors Pay $3.7 Billion More for Prescription Drugs: Repeal of the Affordable Care Act would end the 50% discount on brand name prescription drugs for seniors and people with disabilities who hit the donut hole.  This discount saved 5.3 million seniors more than $3.7 billion through May 2012.
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• 32.5 Million Seniors Pay More for Preventive Care: The repeal of Affordable Care Act would force 32.5 million people on Medicare to pay more for preventive care like mammograms and colonoscopies.
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• 54 Million Americans Pay More for Preventive Care: Approximately 54 million Americans who gained private coverage for recommended preventive services without cost sharing would lose this benefit with the repeal of the health care law.

• 67,000 Americans With Pre-Existing Conditions Will Become Uninsured: The Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan has provided insurance to Americans who have been locked out of the insurance marketplace because of a pre-existing condition – and its more than 67,000 enrollees would likely return to being uninsured with the repeal of the law.
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• 105 Million Americans Could Regain Lifetime Limits on Health Insurance: Repeal of the law would allow insurance companies to return to placing a lifetime dollar limit on your care.  Before the law was implemented, 105 million Americans had health insurance with a lifetime dollar limit.
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• 15 Million Americans Could Be Dropped by Their Insurance Companies: Without the Affordable Care Act, the insurance industry could return to retroactively canceling coverage for a sick patient based on an unintentional mistake in their paperwork, putting at risk the 15 million people purchasing coverage in the individual market.
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• 12.8 Million Consumers Lose $1.1 Billion in Rebates with the Repeal of the 80-20 Rule: Insurance companies that do not meet the 80-20 standard would no longer be required to provide their policy holders a rebate for the difference in 2011 no later than August 1, 2012 if the law were repealed.
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• Over $12 Billion to Prevent Disease: The repeal of the Affordable Care Act’s Prevention and Public Health Fund would mean the loss of over $12 billion in funding for states, communities, and health care providers to prevent disease and keep people healthy.
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• Fewer Resources to Fight Fraud: The repeal of the health care law would strip out millions in new resources to fight health care fraud which, in FY 2011 alone, contributed to a record high $4.1 billion in taxpayer dollars recovered from individuals and companies that attempted to defraud seniors and taxpayers.  The law’s new tools to help detect and prevent fraud before it starts, including data-analysis techniques like credit card companies use, would also be lost.
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• Over $100 Billion in Higher Deficits: Repealing the Affordable Care Act would increase the deficit by $100 billion over ten years.  It would also shorten the life of the Medicare Trust Fund by eight years.

GOP spreding fear, just like in 1961.
Ronald Reagan's 1961 recording for the American Medical Association's Operation Coffee Cup, which claimed the passage of pending Medicare legislation would shortly lead to a complete takeover of all medical services by government and shortly thereafter, a socialist dictatorship. History shows neither, in fact, happened.
*
youtube(dot)com/watch?v=Bejdhs3jGyw

The thing that I'm not really sure that I understand is where retirees fit in.
At what point are they considered "low-income" in this big mess?
Some retirees (doctors, lawyers, real estate billionaires) are getting dividends
from retirement accounts of many thousands of dollars, PLUS Social Security.
Most, not all, of these people are also receiving the highest Social Security benefits,
while many retired common factory workers are barely getting by on their benefits.
If Congress wants to "FIX" something, why not set a limit on the benefits of those
who are getting retirement dividends over $100,000 from retirement accounts?

I do not have time and refuse to take the time to read this monstrosity of a law so I have not verified what I'm about to say. If I have received erroneous information I apologize in advance. I understand Obamacare includes a national sales tax on home sales of around 4% as one way to cook the CBO's books. If so, just wait until baby boomers hear the news and realize the house they raised their families in and now want to sell to downsize will be subject to a huge tax charge. This alone might be enough to push Florida to Romney, Florida being home to so many current and future retirees who feel they've already paid enough taxes during their lifetimes.

nickied and reason,are most of these other industrialized civilized nations not bankrupt?

The Affordable Care Act has so MANY benefits that the Republicans have just become FIXATED on it raising taxes for a handful (1-2%..???) of people... These are people who will cause OUR taxes to rise to pay for their uninsured medical care, at least they will be contributing to a fund for it..!!!
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Benefits of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)
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Let’s millions of young people stay on parents insurance until age 26
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Ends insurance company power to cap the amount of care a person can receive in a lifetime
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Stops insurance companies from canceling coverage when someone gets really sick
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Lowers the cost of care for those on Medicare and closes the “donut hole” on prescription drugs
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Requires insurance companies to cover preventive services like mammograms and other cancer, diabetes, and blood pressure screenings free of charge
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Strengthens and protects Medicare by increasing penalties for fraud
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Stops insurance companies from denying coverage to children with pre-existing conditions
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Ends insurance company power to jack up rates without justification
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Provides Americans with rebates from insurers who spend too much on CEO bonuses and ads (must spend at least 80% of premiums on health care)
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Gives tax credits to small business owners so they can afford to offer quality health care to employees
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Lowers actual insurance costs for small businesses. The independent Congressional Budget Office confirmed that the bill would lower health insurance premiums for the same insurance plan by up to 4 percent for small businesses and 3 percent for large businesses, and estimates indicate that reform could save businesses $2,000 per person in health costs.
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Builds and improves hundreds of community health centers
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Gives hard-working Americans tax credits so they can afford insurance beginning in 2014
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Ends discrimination against adults with pre-existing conditions beginning in 2014
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Prevents insurance companies from charging women more than men and overcharging those who need care the most beginning in 2014
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Creates state-based marketplace (the health insurance exchanges) where people can easily compare and shop for insurance beginning in 2014
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The Congressional Budget Office found that health insurance reform will reduce the deficit by $210 billion in this decade and by more than $1 trillion over the following 10 years. And a family of four would save as much as $2,300 on their premiums in 2014 compared to what they would have paid without reform.

Packer: Tax Foundation says, "Some home sales would see a tax increase under this bill," ... "but it would have to be a second home or a principal residence generating [a gain of] more than $250,000 ($500,000 for a couple)." [a gain of] means only the profit portion from the sell)

reason number one:
why does someone need to be on thier parents insurance till age 26?at 21 to 22 should most that went to college not be out and have a job?

lazybar:
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You forget that there ARE no jobs because the "job creators" have all their money in Swiss bank accounts or hidden away on the Cayman Islands or Bermuda..!!!

lazybar: You don't have a phd, do you? Secondly, starter jobs for most of the youngsters (employers with fewer than 50 employees) are exempt and most of these youngsters cannot get their insurance through their employer, some may have been born with pre-existing conditions or because they do work, they do not qualify for Medicaid.

aimmee there are help wanted signs i see everyday but because of gov sudsidies people will not work.
reason i grew up poor as anyone but at 18 i had my own insurance.i paid for it with my starter jobs pay just as i did my apartment,health ins,and car payment.back then there was no need for cell phones or such,all i needed was some beer money and some quarters for a game of pool.no i don`t have a phd nor did i finish my first year of college but i was one of the lucky ones with enough common sense and work ethic to make something of myself.i`m not knocking a good education but i know plenty of highly educated people without enough sense to get out of the rain.this poor ole dumb hick pays in more taxes every year than 50% that post on here make in a years time.

Yeah, good for you and good for me but these youngsters are facing a different global world than you and I grew up in. In those days, there was competition in the market that kept things in check and their were not corporate chains that sucked the money out of town. Wages were low but the purchasing power was greater than it is today. Insurance was cheaper because there were hundreds of companies to choose from. In todays world, not only does it suck 60% of the money out of town but out of state and out of the United States. And instead of obstructing and beating the same old horse to death... Congress should be working on a tax code that will keep the jobs here at home. You know that 60% that I just got through talking about? Break up the monopolies and open the free markets and demand fair trade!

i`ll agree to that.one other thing thats got me curious on the obamacare supporters.its supposed to help the lower middle class that is to poor to afford insurance but makes to much for medicaid.if they do not prove they have insurance they will have a penilty.if they could not afford the insurance how are they going to afford the penility?

Lazybar, Germany, France, and the Scandinavian countries all have good health care systems and those countries aren't bankrupt by any means.

Reason - Thanks for the clarification on the home sales tax. Glad to hear it isn't as gosh-awful as first understood. It begs the question what a sales tax on the sale of a home has to do with health care? It also has great potential to become a pinpoint issue to hammer Obama as a typical tax and spend liberal. Can't help but wonder how many more "surprises" lurk within those 1,100 pages of Obamacare?

"there are help wanted signs i see everyday but because of gov sudsidies people will not work."
I remember being in Rochester, NY and there were help wanted signs everywhere, but when I would go in to see about work they just handed me some forms to fill out and put on file "if anything comes up." There weren't any jobs.
What specifically are those government subsidies? You always say that, but no details.

Second homes and McMansions shouldn't get the mortgage exemption on income tax, either.

Read my lips, no new taxes.

lazy:
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I bet those help wanted signs are for jobs that one can support a family on, right...???
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No..??? Why not..???

GREAT video, Great message!!!!!
youtube. com/watch?v=PIPoPw9zgvQ

People who don't have insurance are already TAXING you. When they show up in emergency rooms with no insurance, guess who pays? YOU, through higher hospital charges and higher insurance rates. Wouldn't you rather they pay for themselves instead of you?

Freeloaders! "Free" insurance is not free. There is no such thing as "something for nothing" and by now one would think everyone of with one smidgen of intelligence would know that. Once a tax is created it never shrinks. It always gets bigger and never goes away. The only tax I can think of going away is the poll tax.
If Obama's tax is allowed to continue people with insurance now will have to continue to pay premiums plus being taxed for insurance that will not be available for 4 or 5 years. That is a huge amount of money for politicians to have the temptation to steal, just like social security, for instance.
If Obamacare survives there will not be enough money to fund the giveaway program and either of two things, or both, will happen: The "tax" will go up and coverage will be rationed. A person who may need a knee or hip replacement will not get it because they are too old. People usually do not need that kind of treatment until old age so there will be little money paid out for that need.
Doctors will have to call a panel for authorization to treat people, a panel made up of non-medical people, or they will not get paid, or the patient will have to pay out of his own pocket. When you get old and get sick you will be too old for the government to waste any money on you so you will be given pain pills or shots until you die of whatever ails you. I hope it gets repealed. I do not want the government dictating to my doctor as to my treatment. Those of us who think the government has the best interests of us are deceived. All the government wants is your money and complete control of every aspect of your life. Government enslavement is the worse kind and this country was founded to escape it. The constitution was created to protect us from government. The primary function of Government is to provide national defense and to deal with other countries, not to dictate to its citizens what to buy, what to spend, and what to spend it on. Those who ask for government to totally care for them know not what they ask for.

kinggeorge: That is hilarious and pathetic at the same time! What communist news station are you listening to?
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You have a choice! You can buy insurance or pay a tax. Your choice!
If you already have insurance! Then you are exempt! NO TAX!
Can't afford it? Medicaid or tax credits will be provided! NO TAX!
You can keep your doctors and hospital.
You and your doctor will continue to decide what is best for your care!
Benefits are added not taken away!
You can choose to use the benefits or not!
No rationing. No death panels. No boogies!

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Yes, the people, the constitution and courts have spoken and you cannot be denied healthcare!
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A repeal is a tax increase! $630 billion in tax credits and subsidies for those making up to $200,000 or for couple $250,000.

lazybar: If they do not make enough money to file income tax... They are exempt! No penalty! No tax! No fee!

And yet taxes are lower under Obama than the last six Republican Presidents.

Reason's always touting those evil corporations but I guess she doesn't understand with Obamacare those evil insurance corporations are going to make more(gasp)! More profits!
WE have always had access to healthcare. There is a law that you can not be turned away from the emergency room.
Only in a liberal mind is repealing Obamacare a 2 trillion dollar tax increase.
Reason, Please tell us how repealing 10 years of Tax increases with only 6 years of benefits a tax increase?

Hey Coralie and Reason - The home sales tax is yet another in a long string of broken promises and lies by BH Obama. BH said there would be no tax increases on the middle class. What Coralie (jealously?) calls a McMansion could be little more than a tangible asset achieved through lifelong earnings. Consider a widower in their mid 70's who bought a home in 1972 for $40,000. After years of improvements, add-ons, and increased value associated with normal inflation and appreciation the house is valued at $400,000 today (which is a very accurate scenerio throughout the country). The widower wants to sell the house and move into an assisted living facility and discovers that due to Obamacare they will be assessed a premium tax on the sale. The widower's yearly income is $25,000. That's a pretty serious tax on someone of limited means with a single asset to be used for senior care needs. But hey, Coralie thinks all McMansions are owned by rich people who can afford whatever the tax and spend liberals feels just at the moment. Tax and spend, tax and spend, that's all a liberal knows.

Republicans say that an additional twenty million people will have to pay a tax. That's 6.4% of the American population. How many millions of Americans will not have medical coverage if the Republicans get their way? The guess is about 50 million, that is 15.9% of the population.
The maximum amount of "tax" the 20 million would have to pay is 2.5% of their taxable income. I believe that the 99% in America average less than $60,000 in annual taxable income, so the maximum payment for those 20 million of the 99% would be about $1500 a year ( $125 per month). That is pretty close to what the average over 65 person has to pay for their Medicare ( I think my wife and I each pay $110 per month ).
Those Republicans who shed tears that these struggling Corporations pay the highest Tax rate in the World ( About 39%), problem is the Average American Corporation actually pays less than 8%, and to the shame of those who shill for them, over 100 of the largest Corporations pay no income tax at all, in other words less than the 99% would pay in a tax, or in Insurance Premiums. More than a dozen of those large Corporations each got Billions in subsidies. The minimum amount of "tax" any of the 20 million would have to pay is $625 per year. It would take 1,600,000 of those 20 million to pay just one Billion in those subsidies at the minimum "tax". Remember, a Subsidy is something given not taken from.
You think the Republican Party is for the little man? Think again.

What a freaking waste of taxpayer dollars and time to try to undo this LAW....
Most of those crying about what this law does to insure all americans and help control the cost of health care, is all caught up the polarized political retoric and out right lies coming form both sides. While not perfect, it is a GOOD first start. The more you find out about what is really in it and not what is being spun about it, the more most fair minded americans will like what is in the law. I think the congress should be denied the health care coverage they get until "The American People" (in my best John Boneher voice) who sent them to Washington DC to work FOR US, recieve the same type coverage that each one of them and their family members recieve.....

Still don't believe that evangelicals will fall for this Moneychanger............

Packer: She is exempted from the tax because her net "income" of $25,000 is below $200,000. ~~ZERO TAX~~
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She would first have to have an income of over $200,000 and even if she did it would still be $400,000 less $40,000 less $250,000 = $110,000 x .038 = $4,180 tax
or if she had been married under this scenario ~~ZERO TAX~~

T6: As usual, you posted all lies!

NCNC.....Obamacare has left us 2 TRILLION in debt and STILL leaves 30 million people UNINSURED!
It has done neither, Control cost or insure ALL americans.

Hey Reason - Egg on my face for misinterpreting the law. However, even under your scenerio it's more evidence BH Obama is a tax and spend liberal and Obamacare includes tax increases on unsuspecting, hard working Americans. Again, what does tax on the sale of a home have to do with health care?

How is a buy health insurance or get taxed "act" going to help those who are in the middle getting this crap done to them?? And I don't believe for a second that if I make <$250,000/yr I won't get taxed or be made to buy health insurance... which by the way is NOT health CARE.

Packer: Wrong! Bottom line is if you have health care insurance there is no penalty-tax and no tax increase on those make below $200,000 or $250,000 for married couples with an exception of a 10% tanning bed tax.
According to the CBO, there are $630 billion in tax credits and subsidies for insurance compared to just $54 billion in penalty-tax for uninsured individuals (over 11 years). Tax credits equate to 12 times that of the penalty-tax. A repeal is a tax increase!
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New CBO report: Tax rates for those in the middle dropped to a 30-year low of 11.1 percent in 2009, down from the 19.2 percent peak rate of 1981. That’s for the middle one-fifth of all households, those with incomes between $34,900 and $50,100 for singles, or between $69,800 and $100,200 for a family of four.
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BTW: In 2010, many small businesses that are exempted from the mandate, elected to participate and receive a 35% tax credit. A repeal would mean a tax increase plus all the pre-existing insured and Medicare prescription discounts that have already been implemented.

For all you corporation lovers and government haters. Here is a list of overhead costs for selected HMO's and the government's overhead cost for administering healthcare: Atena=21.1%; Humana 18.3%; Wellpoint=17.9%; United Healthcare=18.6%; Signa=22.7%. The government's cost for administering Medicare=1.3%.

1. The majority of uninsured, regardless of how young they are, say they forgo coverage because they cannot afford it, not because they don’t need it. (52% too costly; 11% not eligible at job; 7% don't need it)
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2. Most of the uninsured are either working full-time or have someone in their immediate family who does — the problem is that the majority of the uninsured are not offered benefits through their employers. (81% of the uninsured work at jobs where employers do not sponsor health benefits or are not eligible for their employer's plan)
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3. The majority of the growth in the uninsured since 2000 has been among people earning less than $38,000 a year for a family of four (commonly considered low-income).
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4. The large majority of the uninsured (79%) are American citizens. New [document] immigrants (immigrating less than six years ago) are only 10% of the uninsured population. New immigrants are at a higher risk of being uninsured compared to citizens, but make up just 3% of the total U.S. population, so their contribution to the size of the uninsured population remains relatively small.
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5. It is a MYTH that the uninsured often receive health services for free or at reduced charge. FACT: Free or even discounted health services are not common and when the uninsured are unable to pay the full costs, the unpaid medical bills add to their providers’ costs.
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Less than a quarter of families with at least one uninsured member report having received care for free or at reduced rates — in part, because the uninsured frequently go without needed care. Charges for services may actually be higher for the uninsured in comparison to fees negotiated by managed care organizations or set by public payers.
Those who are uninsured for an entire year pay for over a third of their health care costs out-of-pocket and many have real problems paying their medical bills. The uninsured are over twice as likely as the insured to report having problems paying their medical bills and are almost three times as likely to be contacted by a collection agency about medical bills.
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6. The uninsured are more likely to postpone and forgo care with serious consequences that increase their chances of preventable health problems, disability, and premature death.
Over a third of the uninsured report needing care in the previous year but not getting it and nearly half of the uninsured report postponing care — rates at least three times higher than those with insurance. Studies repeatedly bear out that the uninsured are less likely than those with insurance to receive services for major health conditions, including traumatic injuries, heart attacks, pregnancy, and cancer. Besides research showing the uninsured are more likely than the insured to develop a disability over time, we also know that, even after accounting for health differences, they are more likely to die early. The Institute of Medicine estimates that at least 18,000 Americans die prematurely each year simply because they lack health coverage.
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7. Buying health insurance coverage on your own is always an option.
Individually purchased policies — vs. job-based group policies with similar benefits — are more expensive and coverage can be limited or even denied to persons in less than good health.
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The average annual cost of a family policy purchased in the individual market is about $3,300, in contrast to the average cost of $2,700 that an employee pays out-of-pocket towards group coverage. Since a person pays the entire premium costs for an individual plan, it is an even less viable option for the low-income uninsured.
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8. Depending on whether we count the number of people who are uninsured during a specific month, for an entire year, or just for short periods, the numbers will differ; and all measures are useful.
Experts agree that on any given day of the year the number of uninsured is now about 45 million. The number of people ever uninsured over the course of a year is much greater than 45 million — by as much as 40%. The number of people uninsured for the entire year is smaller than 45 million — by about 25%.
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9. The large majority of uncompensated care is subsidized through a mix of federal and state government dollars not cost-shifts to private payers.
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In 2004, health care spending among the uninsured totaled $125 billion. Some of the uninsured had coverage for part of the year and so insurance paid $51 billion of that amount. Of the remaining costs, the uninsured paid $33 billion (45%) and the remaining $41 billion was uncompensated.
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Federal and state tax dollars, totaling $35 billion, primarily subsidized hospitals that provide disproportionate amounts of care to the uninsured, as well as community clinics ⎯ in total, covering about 85% of all uncompensated care in 2004.
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10. MYTH: Expanding health insurance coverage to all, or even a large share of the uninsured, will cost far more than the country currently spends on health care.
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FACT:Because both the uninsured and government subsidies pay for a good share of their health care costs already, the amount of additional health spending to cover all of the uninsured is relatively small.
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Most proposals to expand health insurance do not account for the tax dollars currently being used for the care of the uninsured.
Assuming their health care use would increase once the uninsured gained coverage, that the uninsured would continue to pay for a share of their care, and that current tax dollars could be fully redirected towards insurance — the additional health care spending to cover ALL of the uninsured in 2004 has been estimated to be $48 billion. However, this does not include any administrative costs associated with reforming the system. These new dollars represent only a 3% increase in personal health care spending (which totaled $1.4 trillion in 2003).
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read full text: kff. org/uninsured/upload/myths-about-the-uninsured-fact-sheet.pdf

Hey Reason - What you been smoking? I am absolutely NOT wrong about Obamacare including surprise taxes on items having nothing to do with health care. As to those figures you quote from standard DNC talking points, answer this: Under the latest CBO 10-year score how much is Obamacare projected to increase the federal deficit? All of the facts you list can easily be exploded, and I will do the honors for the first: Of course people who forgo coverage do so because they "claim" they cannot afford it. They could very well afford a high deductible policy if they would only give up beer, cigarettes, fast food, lottery tickets, etc. Needs and wants are two different things. Your first factiod exists purely for the mind of a typical useful idiot incapable of critical thought.

Top Ten Facts About Obamacare
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1) No lifetime limit on coverage for 105 million Americans.
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2) Up to 17 million children with pre-existing conditions can no longer be denied coverage by insurers.
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3) 6.6 million young adults up to age 26 have taken advantage of the law to obtain health insurance through their parents’ plan.
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4) Free coverage for comprehensive preventive services for millions of women starting in August.
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5) 86 million Americans, including 32 million seniors in Medicare, have already received free preventive services.
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6) 5.3 million seniors have already saved $3.7 billion on their prescription drugs.
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7) Since the health care law was enacted in March 2010, 4.2 million private sector jobs have been created – many of them in the health care industry.
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8) The Small Business Health Care Tax Credit has already been used by 360,000 small businesses to help insure 2 million workers.
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9) $1.1 billion in rebates from health insurance companies this summer will benefit nearly 13 million Americans.
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10) The health care law reduces the deficit by $124 billion over the next 10 years and over $1 trillion over the following decade.
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DCC. ORG/OBAMACARE
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The checks being refunded by insurance companies (#9 above) for what they have OVERCHARGED (the new law says they HAVE to spend 80% of premiums on actual healthcare. Any amount over that must be refunded) start coming in August..!!!

T6:
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WHAT 500 billion in higher taxes..??? Your nose is growing every time you present this Fox News (I assume) "fact"..!!! Or did you just completely make it up..???

I will not raise taxes on the middle class. Now that is a lie.

CBO Report 2011 (Page 2; Table 1.)
.
... BILLIONS) (FY)………......... Mar 2010 Est.......... Feb 2011 Estimates … March 2011 Esti
………………………………….......... 2010- . 2012 ………….. 2012- .. 2012 …………. 2012- 2012-
……………………………………......... 2019 . 2019 ……………. 2019 .. 2021 …………. 2019 2021
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Effects of the Federal Budget Deficit
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GROSS COST ………………....... 938 … 931 ……………. 934 … 1,390 ……….. 971 .. 1,445
NET COST …………………........ 788 … 778 ……………. 733 … 1,042 …..…. 794 .. 1,131
Other provisions
affecting direct spending..... (492) .. (498) ………..... (477) .. (732) …….. N/A
Other provisions
affecting revenues ………..... (420) .. (412) ……………. (376) .. (520) ………. N/A
.
Net Increase or
Decrease (-) in the Deficit …. (124) .. (132) ………….. (119) .. (210) ………… N/A
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Memorandum:
Effects on Outlays …………... 401 .. 393 ……………... 417… 604 …………... N/A
Effects on Revenues ………... 525 .. 524 …………….... 536 … 813 …………... N/A

DEFICIT REDUCTION: $210 Billion by FY 2021 (for 10 years)
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Page 27 & 28
Estimates of Long-Term Budgetary Effects
On the basis of its February 2011 analysis, CBO projected that PPACA and the Reconciliation Act would reduce federal budget deficits during the 2022–2031 period by an amount that is in a broad range around one-half percent of GDP, assuming that all provisions of the legislation were fully implemented.
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Also look on picture chart on page 4 to better understand increase & decreases for the longterm
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cbo. gov/sites/default/files/cbofiles/ftpdocs/121xx/doc12119/03-30-healthcarelegislation.pdf
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Continued for March 2012 CBO Report

As I replied to Congressman Womack's weekly email, I'd love to repeal THEIR government health care!

**NOTE** Look at the above CBO 2011 and read the below CBO's note in the 2012 report. CBO only figured GROSS COST & NET COST (for this report) & notice the 10 year periods. The "other provisions" affects for spending savings and revenue were omitted for the purpose of this report. (It can be confusing if you are not use to CBO language because they refer to "cost" and "revenue" as "deficits")
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CBO REPORT: March 2012 (page 2)
Those amounts do not encompass all of the budgetary impacts of the ACA because that legislation has many other provisions, including some that will cause significant reductions in Medicare spending and others that will generate added tax revenues, relative to what would have occurred under prior law. CBO and JCT have previously estimated that the ACA will, on net, reduce budget deficits over the 2012–2021 period; that estimate of the overall budgetary impact of the ACA has not been updated.4
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(Page 2)
March 2011 "gross" cost $1,445B; "net" cost $1,131B; (10 yrs) 2012-2021 ($113B per yr)
March 2012 "gross" cost $1,496B; "net" cost $1,083B; (10 yrs) 2012-2021 ($108B per yr)
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Note the "net cost" is $48 billion less than the 2012 and again, the "other provisions" as you see in the March 2011 were not calculated for this report.
See Page 10; Table 1

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Report also includes thru year 2022 but it covers more years and this report does NOT include the "other provisions" affects for spending savings and the revenues, either.
March 2012 "gross" cost $1,762B; "net" cost $1,252B; (11 yrs) 2012-2022 ($113B per yr)
(Also, higher because it includes 3 additional years of full implementation; plus an extra year)
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cbo. gov/sites/default/files/cbofiles/attachments/03-13-Coverage%20Estimates.pdf
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

HOW MUCH WOULD THE GOP REPEAL ADD TO THE DEFICIT?
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CBO letter to Boehner February 18, 2011:
RE: On Repeal (page 2)
Impact on the Federal Budget in the First Decade
CBO and JCT estimate that, on balance, the direct spending and revenue effects of enacting H.R. 2 would cause a net increase in federal budget deficits of $210 billion over the 2012-2021 period (see Table 1).1

tnr. com/sites/default/files/CBO%20on%20HR2.pdf

The denial rate for Medicare is 6.85%
Aetna 6.8
Cigna 3.44
Coventry 2.8
Healthnet 3.8
Humana 2.9
U.H.C. 2.6
So one can see where the savings will be in Obamacare the denial of coverage.

Correction on my July 13, 2012 at 11:14 p.m post:
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Note the "net cost" is $48 billion less than the 2012 and again, the "other provisions" as you see in the March 2011 were not calculated for this report.
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Should read "$48 billion less than the 2011"

Maddjack:
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He did NOT raise taxes on the middle class..!!! If you don't buy health care coverage, you pay a penalty through the IRS... It is like a penalty you pay for not filing your taxes..!!! It is not a tax in itself, but it is carried out through Congress's taxing AUTHORITY..!!!
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T6:
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WHAT 500 billion in higher taxes..??? Your nose is growing every time you present this Fox News (I assume) "fact"..!!! Or did you just completely make it up..???

I will not raise taxes on the middle class. Now that is a lie.

It might surprise Americans to learn that another advanced industrial country, one with a totally private health care system, made precisely the same choice nearly 20 years ago: Switzerland. The lessons from Switzerland and other countries can’t resolve the constitutional issues, but they suggest the inevitability of some version of Obamacare.
Switzerland is not your typical European welfare-state society. It is extremely business-friendly and has always gone its own way, shunning the euro and charting its own course on health care. The country ranks higher than the U.S. on the Heritage Foundation’s Index of Economic Freedom.

Twenty years ago, Switzerland had a system very similar to America’s–private insurers, private providers–with very similar problems. People didn’t buy insurance but ended up in emergency rooms, insurers screened out people with pre-existing conditions, and costs were rising fast. The country came to the conclusion that to make health care work, everyone had to buy insurance. So the Swiss passed an individual mandate and reformed their system along lines very similar to Obamacare. The reform law passed by referendum, narrowly. The result two decades later: quality of care remains very high, everyone has access, and costs have moderated. Switzerland spends 11% of its GDP on health care, compared with 17% in the U.S. Its 8 million people have health care that is not tied to their employers, they can choose among many plans, and they can switch plans every year. Overall satisfaction with the system is high.