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Politics : A US National Health Care System? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Brumar89 who wrote (15501)	3/27/2010 1:22:37 PM
From: Alighieri	3 Recommendations Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 42652

The health care overhaul will cost U.S. companies billions and make them more likely to drop prescription drug coverage for retirees because of a change in how the government subsidizes those benefits. You keep reading BS from BS websites. They meant to close this loophole. Under Medicare PartD, companies that provide prescription drug benefits for retirees were getting a subsidy from the government (you and me brumey) equal to 28 percent of the eligible costs. They were deducting the entire amount they spent on these drug benefits – including the subsidies – from their taxable income. ATT made 3B in profit last year...they were not paying taxes on all of that as a result. Send that to your hotair BS site so they understand it too. Al

To: Brumar89 who wrote (15501)	3/27/2010 2:54:12 PM
From: J_F_Shepard	1 Recommendation Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 42652

How many congressmen, on either side, do you think read that bill? Do congressmen read all the bills that are voted on by Congress.......answer is no, very few. They rely on friends on the committee working on the bill to advise them which way to vote... The loss to companies was a plum given to them in 2003 when the Medicare Drug plan of Bush was passed...won't take effect until 2013. "When Congress approved the Medicare prescription drug program in 2003, it included government incentives for employers to provide drug benefits to retirees so the public system wouldn't be overwhelmed. Employers that provide prescription drug benefits for retirees can receive subsidies covering 28 percent of eligible costs; those subsidies totaled $3.7 billion in 2008. Under the 2003 law, companies could deduct the entire amount they spent on the drug benefits from their taxable income — including the government subsidy, an average of $665 per retiree."