Comments on: What’s Wrong with this Picture? http://healthblog.ncpa.org/whats-wrong-with-this-picture/ Health Care Policy and Reform Insights | NCPA Fri, 25 May 2012 16:47:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: John R. Graham http://healthblog.ncpa.org/whats-wrong-with-this-picture/comment-page-1/#comment-42437 John R. Graham Thu, 07 May 2009 20:44:56 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=3259#comment-42437 Joe S.: I'm not sure I follow you. The McCain tax reform was exactly this - to the penny. Most "conservative" reforms are versions of this. What "conservative" reforms do you see that don't encompass tax reform like this? I borrowed the argument a couple of years ago, when I essayed to debunk the idea that the uninsured were a burden health care, due to overcrowding emergency rooms (http://tinyurl.com/5h4yvc). As a class, the uninsured pay extra income taxes that are voluntary (although they would likely not define them as such). I figured that the extra federal income tax was about $60 billion (but I'd use a more sophisticated model if I did it again). I proposed that the government should use that estimate as a basis for deciding saftey-net funding. If Government enacted the tax reform as recommended by Drs. Goodman & Musgrave we wouldn't have to rely on an estimate but have the exact figure. Joe S.: I’m not sure I follow you. The McCain tax reform was exactly this – to the penny. Most “conservative” reforms are versions of this. What “conservative” reforms do you see that don’t encompass tax reform like this?

I borrowed the argument a couple of years ago, when I essayed to debunk the idea that the uninsured were a burden health care, due to overcrowding emergency rooms (http://tinyurl.com/5h4yvc). As a class, the uninsured pay extra income taxes that are voluntary (although they would likely not define them as such). I figured that the extra federal income tax was about $60 billion (but I’d use a more sophisticated model if I did it again). I proposed that the government should use that estimate as a basis for deciding saftey-net funding. If Government enacted the tax reform as recommended by Drs. Goodman & Musgrave we wouldn’t have to rely on an estimate but have the exact figure.

]]> By: Bart http://healthblog.ncpa.org/whats-wrong-with-this-picture/comment-page-1/#comment-42408 Bart Wed, 06 May 2009 22:04:37 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=3259#comment-42408 I've long been in favor of reforming the tax treatment of health insurance, but have more recently become concerned about a fallacy of equivocation often see regarding different meanings for the term "health insurance". Unfair discrimination between employee-sponsored and individually-purchased coverage is often used to argue in favor of equal tax treatment between group and non-group insurance, glossing over the fundamental differences in the actual product being purchased. I’ve long been in favor of reforming the tax treatment of health insurance, but have more recently become concerned about a fallacy of equivocation often see regarding different meanings for the term “health insurance”. Unfair discrimination between employee-sponsored and individually-purchased coverage is often used to argue in favor of equal tax treatment between group and non-group insurance, glossing over the fundamental differences in the actual product being purchased.

]]> By: Ken http://healthblog.ncpa.org/whats-wrong-with-this-picture/comment-page-1/#comment-42401 Ken Wed, 06 May 2009 11:20:07 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=3259#comment-42401 Your proposal is too rational, John. Remember, the field we are in is health policy -- where (as you have pointed out before) most people have not mastered the syllogism. Your proposal is too rational, John. Remember, the field we are in is health policy — where (as you have pointed out before) most people have not mastered the syllogism.

]]> By: Joe S. http://healthblog.ncpa.org/whats-wrong-with-this-picture/comment-page-1/#comment-42396 Joe S. Tue, 05 May 2009 22:27:37 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=3259#comment-42396 Agree with Greg. This is the missing item in the McCain health plan, the Coburn bill and many other conservative health proposals. Agree with Greg. This is the missing item in the McCain health plan, the Coburn bill and many other conservative health proposals.

]]> By: Greg http://healthblog.ncpa.org/whats-wrong-with-this-picture/comment-page-1/#comment-42395 Greg Tue, 05 May 2009 22:17:06 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=3259#comment-42395 Great idea and the only place I ever see it discussed is in NCPA publications. I wish you could convince others -- at least the conservative think tanks. Great idea and the only place I ever see it discussed is in NCPA publications. I wish you could convince others — at least the conservative think tanks.

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