Atlasian National Healthcare Bill (Law'd)

[Marokai Backbeat]

Believe it or not, NCY, I've told many people in private that you're one of my favorite Senators.

I feel sorry for those you despise, they must be completely tormented for eternity.

You shouldn't take it so personally, NCY.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Believe it or not, NCY, I've told many people in private that you're one of my favorite Senators.

I feel sorry for those you despise, they must be completely tormented for eternity.

You shouldn't take it so personally, NCY.

If either Senators Marokai, Fritz or anyone else feels compelled to respond to this post please do so via PM.

Its obvious someone can't read.

[Purple State]

Alright, alright enough. It's bad enough that we can't reach any sort of consensus on this bill, we don't need a full-on brawl on the Senate floor.

Yank, could you give me a quick summary, preferably clean and in a list form of where your proposals for the health care mechanism stand as of now.

Marokai, if you would provide a brief compilation of points on how you want to pay for health care reform, that would be greatly appreciated.

[MasterJedi]

I hereby open up a vote on this amendment. Please vote Aye, Nay or Abstain.

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[/quote]

[Fritz]

Aye

[Purple State]

Aye

This just removes clause f? Sounds good, but a lot of work to go still.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Aye

This just removes clause f? Sounds good, but a lot of work to go still.

It changes a few things in the Finance section and adds a clause in the Administration section as well as striking the clause banning private care.

Aye, by the way.

[Purple State]

I'm going to work on a provision that details exactly how we plan on financing this. We need some sort of CBO to score things. Perhaps the GM? Or SoFA?

[Marokai Backbeat]

I'm going to work on a provision that details exactly how we plan on financing this. We need some sort of CBO to score things. Perhaps the GM? Or SoFA?

I promise to have a more detailed response in regard to finances by the time I go to sleep. I'm just taking a bit of a break right now

(But please, no de-facto tax hikes on the poor.)

[Purple State]

I'm going to work on a provision that details exactly how we plan on financing this. We need some sort of CBO to score things. Perhaps the GM? Or SoFA?

I promise to have a more detailed response in regard to finances by the time I go to sleep. I'm just taking a bit of a break right now

(But please, no de-facto tax hikes on the poor.)

No, I plan on taxing benefits in a progressive fashion.

[MaxQue]

Aye

[Marokai Backbeat]

I'm going to work on a provision that details exactly how we plan on financing this. We need some sort of CBO to score things. Perhaps the GM? Or SoFA?

I promise to have a more detailed response in regard to finances by the time I go to sleep. I'm just taking a bit of a break right now

(But please, no de-facto tax hikes on the poor.)

No, I plan on taxing benefits in a progressive fashion.

I was hoping we could have a rough outline of where funding would come from in this bill, as well as lining out the fact that finances, personnel, and services from Medicaid and Medicare would be phased out and transferred to this new program. In doing so, we could avoid any major financial meltdown in regard to the new program for quite some time, as it would take time to implement anyway.

Because of that, I wanted to propose a separate Revenue Act that dealt with raising revenue in general, as opposed to trying to have a fight over detailed financing in this bill, taking the focus off the issue at hand.

[Purple State]

I'm going to work on a provision that details exactly how we plan on financing this. We need some sort of CBO to score things. Perhaps the GM? Or SoFA?

I promise to have a more detailed response in regard to finances by the time I go to sleep. I'm just taking a bit of a break right now

(But please, no de-facto tax hikes on the poor.)

No, I plan on taxing benefits in a progressive fashion.

I was hoping we could have a rough outline of where funding would come from in this bill, as well as lining out the fact that finances, personnel, and services from Medicaid and Medicare would be phased out ans transferred to this new program. In doing so, we could avoid any major financial meltdown in regard to the new program for quite some time, as it would take time to implement anyway.

Because of that, I wanted to propose a separate Revenue Act that dealt with raising revenue in general, as opposed to trying to have a fight over detailed financing in this bill, taking the focus off the issue at hand.

We can't do health care piecemeal. I don't support reform if we can't pay for it. So it takes us an extra week. It will be worth it to pass a comprehensive bill.

[Marokai Backbeat]

I'm going to work on a provision that details exactly how we plan on financing this. We need some sort of CBO to score things. Perhaps the GM? Or SoFA?

I promise to have a more detailed response in regard to finances by the time I go to sleep. I'm just taking a bit of a break right now

(But please, no de-facto tax hikes on the poor.)

No, I plan on taxing benefits in a progressive fashion.

I was hoping we could have a rough outline of where funding would come from in this bill, as well as lining out the fact that finances, personnel, and services from Medicaid and Medicare would be phased out ans transferred to this new program. In doing so, we could avoid any major financial meltdown in regard to the new program for quite some time, as it would take time to implement anyway.

Because of that, I wanted to propose a separate Revenue Act that dealt with raising revenue in general, as opposed to trying to have a fight over detailed financing in this bill, taking the focus off the issue at hand.

We can't do health care piecemeal. I don't support reform if we can't pay for it. So it takes us an extra week. It will be worth it to pass a comprehensive bill.

Well, the problem is we don't know where the hell we're coming from in regards to income, and other, taxes. Even if we presume sin taxes and income taxes are the same as the US right now, we've got to make changes and It would be rather frustrating to deal with raising or lowering taxes on a set of brackets that don't exist.

[Purple State]

I'm going to work on a provision that details exactly how we plan on financing this. We need some sort of CBO to score things. Perhaps the GM? Or SoFA?

I promise to have a more detailed response in regard to finances by the time I go to sleep. I'm just taking a bit of a break right now

(But please, no de-facto tax hikes on the poor.)

No, I plan on taxing benefits in a progressive fashion.

I was hoping we could have a rough outline of where funding would come from in this bill, as well as lining out the fact that finances, personnel, and services from Medicaid and Medicare would be phased out ans transferred to this new program. In doing so, we could avoid any major financial meltdown in regard to the new program for quite some time, as it would take time to implement anyway.

Because of that, I wanted to propose a separate Revenue Act that dealt with raising revenue in general, as opposed to trying to have a fight over detailed financing in this bill, taking the focus off the issue at hand.

We can't do health care piecemeal. I don't support reform if we can't pay for it. So it takes us an extra week. It will be worth it to pass a comprehensive bill.

Well, the problem is we don't know where the hell we're coming from in regards to income, and other, taxes. Even if we presume sin taxes and income taxes are the same as the US right now, we've got to make changes and It would be rather frustrating to deal with raising or lowering taxes on a set of brackets that don't exist.

Hence the need for a CBO-equivalent.

[Purple State]

Amendment

Section 2 shall read as follows:

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I am up for recommendations to alter this before bringing it to a vote.

[Vepres]

I'm going to work on a provision that details exactly how we plan on financing this. We need some sort of CBO to score things. Perhaps the GM? Or SoFA?

I promise to have a more detailed response in regard to finances by the time I go to sleep. I'm just taking a bit of a break right now

(But please, no de-facto tax hikes on the poor.)

No, I plan on taxing benefits in a progressive fashion.

I was hoping we could have a rough outline of where funding would come from in this bill, as well as lining out the fact that finances, personnel, and services from Medicaid and Medicare would be phased out ans transferred to this new program. In doing so, we could avoid any major financial meltdown in regard to the new program for quite some time, as it would take time to implement anyway.

Because of that, I wanted to propose a separate Revenue Act that dealt with raising revenue in general, as opposed to trying to have a fight over detailed financing in this bill, taking the focus off the issue at hand.

We can't do health care piecemeal. I don't support reform if we can't pay for it. So it takes us an extra week. It will be worth it to pass a comprehensive bill.

Well, the problem is we don't know where the hell we're coming from in regards to income, and other, taxes. Even if we presume sin taxes and income taxes are the same as the US right now, we've got to make changes and It would be rather frustrating to deal with raising or lowering taxes on a set of brackets that don't exist.

Hence the need for a CBO-equivalent.

Or we could make BrandonH do it.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Amendment

Section 2 shall read as follows:

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I am up for recommendations to alter this before bringing it to a vote.

I'm okay with those rates, they're much lower and more manageable than Franzl's proposal. Of course, we'll need other revenue sources, but that's a good start.

[afleitch]

Aye on the amendment.

[afleitch]

I'd also like to remind the Senate that the income tax system is similar to the US barring a higher rate of tax for high earners to pay for education (see two Senates ago) and a 0% tax rate for low earners (see many many Senates ago )

I would hold that any system of payment must ensure that those covered by the existing 0%  rate still pay 0% on their income.

That is assuming we are linking this to income.

[Franzl]

AYE on the amendment, and I accept Purple State's proposal.

[MasterJedi]

Aye

With 7 Ayes, 0 Nays and 0 Abstentions this amendment has passed.

[Vepres]

I like the intent of this bill, and indeed, universal coverage should be a goal at some point in the future. But the bigger issue is not those who aren't insured (though that is a big problem) but the people losing coverage because it's too expensive despite a middle-class income.

If you provide universal coverage through a government plan, but don't try to control the rate of increase in health care costs (without rationing), then you simply shift the problem to the government. The system cannot, and will not be sustainable if costs are not simultaneously dealt with. I realize that universal coverage helps control costs, but more must be done.

Using my great influence as Midwest Lt. Governor , I urge all Senators to vote nay on this bill unless more is done to control the rising costs.

[tmthforu94]

Aye, ftr

[Purple State]

I like the intent of this bill, and indeed, universal coverage should be a goal at some point in the future. But the bigger issue is not those who aren't insured (though that is a big problem) but the people losing coverage because it's too expensive despite a middle-class income.

If you provide universal coverage through a government plan, but don't try to control the rate of increase in health care costs (without rationing), then you simply shift the problem to the government. The system cannot, and will not be sustainable if costs are not simultaneously dealt with. I realize that universal coverage helps control costs, but more must be done.

Using my great influence as Midwest Lt. Governor , I urge all Senators to vote nay on this bill unless more is done to control the rising costs.

My proposed tax on health care benefits was actually intended to do just that. I agree we will need to find additional ways to cut costs (currently reading through 5 CBO reports, so I'll be some time), but it is definitely on my list of things to do.