More from Ezra Klein via Twitter on the 'Cadillac' tax...

[flpoljunkie]

If excise tax is now indexed at CPI, that means it's much stronger in the 2nd decade.
13 minutes ago via web

RT @annaedney "Van Hollen says the Cadillac tax will still start in 2018 but be indexed to CPI instead of CPI plus one" Hence $1.2 trillion.
15 minutes ago via web

http://twitter.com/ezraklein

[dkf]

1. They are taxing union workers to pay for this bill. Not the rich. Not the CEOs with huge bonuses

But blue collar union workers. 1.2 trillion off of the middle class.

No middle class tax increase my ass.

[ProSense]

2. Nonsense. n/t

[LiberalFighter]

3. The tax will only be on the amount over the threshold.

For both rich and middle class.

If the threshold is $21,000 for a family and the employer and employee costs are $20,000 then no tax. If employer and employee costs are $22,000 then the tax will be on the $1,000 above the threshold.

Regardless, after the bill is passed we need to keep pressuring Congress to improve the bill, put pressure on the insurance companies (personally would like to throw them out the business), put pressure on local and state governments to do a better job of negotiating better cost effective insurance for the employees. As long as we have to get health insurance from insurance companies there needs to be better competition.

[high density]

9. So it works just like income tax

It seems to make a lot of sense.

[LiberalFighter]

12. Same principle but it is not a totally progressive type of tax.

I would like to see a lot of reform so that health care tax or premiums go down. Then more people would not pay the tax. At least more of the middle income families.

[PolNewf]

6. Unions have time to adjust contracts n/t

[phleshdef]

7. If your annual plan is THAT good, you likely aren't fucking middle class.

[bornskeptic]

10. Apparently some small businesses pay that much because

of the age and health condition of employees. But by 2018 those employers will be able to get much better and less expensive insurance from the exchange, which will use community rating. Outside of those cases you're absolutely right that people with $27000 health plans aren't middle class.

But isn't it strange that "progressives" get all up in arms about the chance that people with $27000 plans from their employer might be taxed on a small fraction of their premiums, while totally ignoring the fact that many less fortunate people who have to buy insurance in the individual market have to pay tax on every cent they pay in premiums?

[lordcommander]

11. [phone] n/t

[high density]

8. Seems like a tax loophole that needs to be closed

And somebody has to tackle it. "Hey, let me forgo a raise and get some more tax free benefits instead." Time to end that.

[Jennicut]

4. I had a feeling that was the change that would be made last night.

Thanks for the update.

[Hello_Kitty]

5. By "stronger" he must mean "will affect more people".

Health insurance costs have been rising at a higher rate than CPI.