[Rhodes22-list] Could I Have Another Helping of Big Government, Please?

[Robert Skinner]

Brad -

Note that I did not say that someone else should pay the 
$2500 for the kid's wart removal.  Whoever the subject 
of the article is signed on to the policy and presumably 
had the terms in front of him.  I'm a bit concerned that 
here in Maine he may have had little or no choice, and 
little knowledge of the applicable tax laws.

You and I have some advantages that the average citizen 
does not.  Your MBA and my (thank you Dad) excellent 
opportunity for education set us apart from the guy on 
the street.  We have the time and ability to read well
and critically.  Tax law is not easy to understand.

To do well in our society requires a critical mass of 
learning.  With less than that critical mass, the 
non-genius person spends all of their time just trying 
to stay above water.  A real rat race.  

Once you get above that point, whether by superior 
gumption or social position (generally as a result of 
a parent's efforts) or sheer intellect, you can begin 
to optimize your life.  We have substituted mental 
sweat for the physical, but many have not gotten the 
word.  As a society, we are not doing well in that 
regard.

I did say that there is a disparity between the costs 
and terms of drugs and medical care between policies that 
are available to the individual and those available to 
large organizations.  And what is wrong with a government 
negotiating in behalf of its citizens for drugs and care?  
The drug companies wouldn't sign up if they were not 
making a profit.  Sounds like common sense to me.

And I agree that the wart could probably have been 
removed under local.  Hell, I have cut 'em off with 
scissors and cauterized the result with a hot nail.  
But not on my face.  And not on my kid's face.

/Robert
--------------------------------------------------------
Brad Haslett wrote:
> 
> Robert,
> 
> The $2500 threshold is easy to overcome.  Everyone gets a dollar for dollar
> tax credit for money they put in a health savings plan.  The 'gubment' spots
> you the first $2500 which is offset (paid back) by your future earned
> credits. A lot of big companies are distancing themselves from future health
> cost of retirees (as well as defined benefit retirement plans) because
> they've seen what happened to Big Steel, GM, legacy airlines, etc.  Mine is
> doing the same but with a $25,000 initial deposit.  If you start young, stay
> healthy, and don't abuse the system it works fine.  Again, I fully support
> everyone having access to adequate health care.  It must be associated with
> personal responsibility.  How my parents raised four kids without health
> insurance is beyond me but I remember growing-up, we always had a 'doctor
> bill'.  That would have been Dr. Judson Phillips.  He always treated us
> whether the bill was paid-up or not, and sooner or later, it always got
> paid. Maybe it was just a different place and a different time.  I'm willing
> to bet your father and Dr. Phillips had a lot in common.
> 
> Brad