Surprise! Your health insurance rates are going to go up. Why? Insurance for the insurance companies…
Tag Archives: PPACA
Can amoral entities claim religious freedom?
Is this really about Obamacare (PPACA) or a backdoor entry to change how religion is dealt with in the workplace? I think it’s the latter, and that’s why the Supreme Court will be making a very narrow ruling in Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores.
Continue reading Can amoral entities claim religious freedom?
A rose is a rose is a rose…
There’s been a whole lot of hoopla about a CBO (Congressional Budget Office) report. The one that announced that 2.3 million Americans might opt to stop working over the next ten years. Because PPACA (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act- aka Obamacare) has given then something these folks didn’t have before.
Medicare sets the tone
One of the key thoughts behind the idea of healthcare reform was to cut the cost of medical care. In America, more than 1 of every 6 dollars we spend is for health related expenses. (It was on track to be one of every 5 by this year- but that was before Obamacare [PPACA] was proposed and enacted.)
Isn’t there an easier way?
Yesterday, we discussed indemnity, catastrophic, and conventional health care plans. One of the primary reasons to have a health care plan is to be able to get lower prices for each service that may be needed. Without such a plan, you pay what the provider wants- or get sued. The difference in pricing can be 90%. It is routine for me to see an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) detailing a bill that came in as $ 7244, was considered to be $ 1200 once reduced by my insurance carrier, and for my share of the costs to be only $ 50 or so.
Indemnity my a..
Oh, I know, you’ve heard that some folks’ insurance bill have escalated. I will not deny that changing from a catastrophic-coverage plan to a real health care plan is not more (even much more) expensive- but in the grand scheme of things for all citizens, that is not a big change. Because most Americans get their health care insurance at work.
Today is the day!
Today is the day… One that will probably match the revolution in health care that arose almost 50 years ago. That was Medicare. This one, which will be revised as often and for the same reasons that we refined Medicare- is popularly (or is that infamously) known as Obamacare (PPACA is the legal abbreaviation for the act.)
Sour Grapes, Low Hanging Fruit, and Fine Wine…
I’ve written about Obamacare often. (Here’s one such article– you can find more searching for Obamacare or PPACA via the search box to the right.) So have others. While the original goal of the concept was to improve the health of Americans, it seems that we settled for insuring most Americans and making health care more accessible. (A valid goal, but far less lofty.) But, there always is the hope that we can reduce the costs of healthcare, too.
Continue reading Sour Grapes, Low Hanging Fruit, and Fine Wine…
There’s a New Tax in Town…
For years, the one crucial question I had to ask my business tax clients was, “Can you be considered to be a real estate professional?” (If you don’t recall my discussions on this matter, you can refer to my blog posts here and here.) Because without that certification, it’s possible that all expenses involved in rental real estate operations may not be deductible on one’s Schedule E (1040).
Uncompensated Care
Lately, data are indicating that the seemingly inexorable rise in our health care costs may be attenuating. Is this real? Or, just an artifact? Given that there are large variations in health costs across the US, what does this trend mean for our local, state, and federal taxes. And, given that these difference in regional costs will become exacerbated as more (Republican) states refuse to run their own health care exchanges, some of us are in for additional costs.