Letter to the Editor: Health Insurance Concerns

Editor

I have watched, at least partially to the many vying for the Democrat Presidential nomination.� The first debate was too boring to watch to the end.� I am still attempting to watch the recorded second.� I was indeed struck by the Socialist Senator Sanders describing Medicare for all and the disbanding of private health insurance.� No co-pays, no deductibles, no premiums, in essence no out of pocket expenses and, wow, better care than people have now

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These are my health insurance premiums/costs for the tax year 2018: $3,156 deducted from our Social Security for Medicare, Blue Cross Supplemental $4,802, Blue Cross Prescription $909, John Hancock long term care $2,615.02. The total = �$11,482.02 or $956.84 per month.� Under the present tax code, these insurance expenses are deductible reducing my taxable income.� Under the plan unveiled by all Democrats running for the office, these deductions would go away; the point- whether marginal tax rates go up or these deductions go away we as a couple will, without doubt, pay more in taxes and be promised better care than we have now?� Right now the only co-pay we have is on prescription drugs, and I can normally get to see my health care provider on routine matters within 4-5 days, who can guess how long wait times will be once health care, is FREE.� So taking away private insurance will be better for us?� Not likely.� Misdirection and falsehoods are rampant with Democrats.�

Regards,

John Stiegelmeyer

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JS July 4, 2019, 5:45 pm Some are missing the point. If private insurance goes away as many wish how many who work in the insurance industry will be without work? A friend of mine looked it up -- it appears approximately six million. Why condemn profit? That small word is what makes my retirement IRA grow. Dividends are the key. This is profit that goes back to the investor. Democrats want to punish success -- that what more gov. programs and higher taxes do. Seems so obvious. The other part of Social Security/Medicare is the tax withheld from the working class pay That is a total of 7.75% With employer paying a like amount total 12.4% Medicare 1.45% Employer a like amount = 1/45% Total for all 14.3% Work it out if you could invest that amount yourself for a 40 working career how much would it be. Don't forget the miracle of Compound interest Example is a worker earning $45,000 per year $5642 would be deducted for social Security yearly. At the end of a 40 year career only compounding once a year at 6% that equals $681552.33. Pay out at 5% equals 34,077.33. Compounding monthly as would be more correct would yield considerable more at retirement age. Much more than my wife and I are receiving now. Again if you think health care is expensive now - wait till it is free.

SL July 2, 2019, 7:35 pm The CEOs of BC/BS or John Hancock get millions in Iowa by making decisions based on profit and their bonus'. I see the prices of my meds and doctors rise at multiple times the inflation rate and there will be nobody but the wealthy getting healthcare. Unbridled capitalism trusts the wealthy to generously care for us workers. Will they leave my pension or medicare alone? I'll not hold my breath.

GB July 2, 2019, 5:19 pm The Democratic Party is no longer the Democratic Party of the past. It has evolved into a socialist freak show where strong morals are nonexistent. Long gone is common sense and a desire for America to lead in anything. Shame on the voters who do not take the time to learn about the issues and understand the facts. Everything costs money. Every socialist idea about health care to open borders clearly come from mental shortcomings in the ability to form logical thoughts based on reality.

DL July 2, 2019, 5:04 pm Mr. Steigelmeyer

Why do you only use the Bernie Sanders plan? He's a Socialist! The Democratic Party is not going to nominate a Socialist to represent the party. Sure, Elizabeth Warren is presenting the same plan. But, that plan has no chance of passing through Congress, even if the Senate is flipped. There is a difference between the "Medicare for all" that those two are pushing, and "Universal Healthcare" that the majority of the others have plans for. Of course, all of this would be a moot point if Congress had done it's job, and fixed the ACA like President Obama asked them to do, in 2014.

Opinion : Letter to the Editor: Health Insurance Concerns

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