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Wednesday, July 14, 2010

No New Taxes

I received a letter from my employer with this grave warning.
Recently, President Obama signed into law sweeping federal legislation that will impact health care insurance for all Americans. Health care insurance reform requires significant changes to the benefits offered by the Benefits Plan. The required changes to benefits include coverage for dependent children up to age 26 and limitations on maximum dollars the plan pays for essential medical services. These federally mandated changes will result in greater expenses and higher premiums for members.
They went on to tell me some steps they were taking and how we ought to be prepared for this and ... all well and good. But ... what's up with this?

According to my calculations, I am currently paying nearly 20% of my income for insurance. That's nothing compared to what my employer pays. They pay in one pay period nearly half of what my gross pay is for that period for "employer paid benefits". Mind you, I'm grateful. While I consider my own cost of insurance already too high, they pay ten times what I pay for my insurance. So I'm thinking of writing a letter ... something like this:
Dear Mr. President,

Thanks so much for your sweeping federal legislation on health care insurance. I appreciate the fact that you will be digging deeper into my pockets taking money from me that isn't called "taxes". It makes me feel so much better that you'll be taking more of my income under a different name now. And to think! I'll be paying more with new limitations on the maximum! More for less! How nice ...
No, maybe not.

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