I haven't seen any comments on Bush's plan for health insurance.

[hedgehog]

Does that mean this plan will sink out of sight as quickly as his plan to put a man on Mars?

[diane in sf]

1. I've seen some rebuttal around here--obviously the plan is garbage.

It assumes people have the money to spend on health insurance in the first place and that they could get it--even with pre-existing health conditions.

[Robbien]

2. I dearly hope so

A huge giveaway to the insurance industry just like the energy bill was a huge giveaway to BigOil.

[hedgehog]

5. Yeah, I noticed that part , too

I had heard other portions of the plan, but I almost choked when I heard that one. Grants to the states to buy PRIVATE insurance policies!?!?! He could at least try to hid ethe giveaways to his contributors!

[Chimichurri]

3. I don't want my health insurance to become taxable income. 50% of

our household income goes to taxes. Enough is enough.

[AzDar]

4. I think it's pretty much a non-starter, like the mission to Mars a few years ago.

SOTU Bushshit...

[uppityperson]

6. clip from Rep. McDermott (WA)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003538642_localsotu24m.html

Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Seattle, the new chairman of the House Ways and Means subcommittee on Human Resources, opposes Bush's proposal to tax a portion of employer-provided health insurance to pay for tax deductions for people who independently buy their own insurance.

"That idea shreds the last of the safety nets by getting corporations out of providing health benefits," he said. The plan would provide a disincentive for employers to offer insurance, he said and "will lead employers to shift responsibility onto individuals."

McDermott, who has been pushing for national health care since his election in 1988, also said providing a tax deduction for people who buy their own insurance won't help. That's because many people who can't afford insurance now don't pay taxes anyway, he said.

What would he suggest? More incentives, such as tax breaks, for businesses to provide health insurance to workers.

[sinkingfeeling]

7. There was a lot of stuff on USAToday.com this morning. Try here:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/health/2007-01-24-bush-health-usat_x.htm

[Jeanette in FL]

8. Randi is talking about it right now.

Talking about it being a scam.

[leftofthedial]

9. it's such a patent crock of poorly thought-out shit

that solves zero health care problems that I don't imagine anyone will give it another thought