Small government:
An 8% plan would be governed/regulated by the Federal Government like an improved Medicare plan, but it could be implemented and worked like MSPRC - a government contracted company that does Medicare billing and tracking. Keep in mind, small government for 300 MILLION citizens is not a Mom and Pop operation - it is going to be big, but not that large relative to, say, a large military (which, by the way, is a form of big government). All health care providers stay the same (unless a person has an ER doc as their main doc), but all forms are simplified so that the claims process becomes quick and easy. The government only plays the part of taking the money in and paying it out - this is much less of a role than health insurance companies currently have.
It would take fewer laws to implement 8%. The regulation of the health care industry is the competition that an 8% plan presents. If companies want to compete, they can match or beat 8% in price or service. What could be more Republican, more American, than simple choice? Chose 8%, chose another plan.
Supports Free Market Economy:
If employers no longer had to help pay for health care (except the 1.45% Medicare tax, perhaps)
- fewer employees have to be hired by companies to manage their health care plans
- more employees could be hired to do business, the actual work of the business that helps it move forward and compete
- money saved by not paying into health plans could be saved, invested, etc.
- small businesses that could not hire workers due to the costs of health care would be able to hire those workers because every person pays for their own health care (or that of their families).
- Is 8% a tax? Can you chose to pay a tax or not pay a tax? Just because when we currently pay money to the Federal Government it is called a tax does not mean there cannot be such a thing as money you pay to the Federal Government that is not a tax. It is a service, and those who would carry 8% would expect service.
- Those who chose a plan other than 8% would not pay 1.45% in Medicare tax.
- We already have one, it's called Medicare. No Republican dares to suggest Medicare be dropped. No Republican dares to suggest we all stop paying 1.45% of our income to pay for it. But everyone knows, even Republicans, that Medicare is the next crisis. The 8% plan immediately eliminates the Medicare Crisis. We citizens of America pay 8% of our income for the basic health care we and our family's need, to cap out at $6k per year. This takes the place of the 1.45%, and wraps in all Medicare. What used to be Medicare suddenly has plenty of money.
- Are Republicans ageists to suggest the elderly who can't afford health care should not have it? I don't believe this for a second. So, Republicans (I myself have no idea what party I am in), what is your solution to the Medicare Crisis?
- Do Republicans hate Veterans? I don't believe this for a second, either. It is a simple equation: an 8% plan + VA money + Medicare funds = a viable health care reform. If Republicans don't figure out how to support Veterans (like me) after having built a big military, they could be faced with yet another crisis.
