By Kate Barrett

Mar 15, 2009 6:16pm

Is President Obama Considering Taxing Health Care Benefits?

The New York Times today reported today that the "Obama administration is signaling to Congress that the president could support taxing some employee health benefits, as several influential lawmakers and many economists favor, to help pay for overhauling the health care system."

The report was used by Republicans to paint the Obama administration as hypocritical, because then-candidate Obama hammered Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., for making a similar tax proposal during the campaign to help fund his health care proposal. "Taxing your health care benefit," then-Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., said during the campaign. "I call that the ultimate ‘Bridge to Nowhere.’"

Then-Sen. Obama ran a TV ad against McCain on the idea saying, "McCain would impose a new tax on health benefits, taxing your healthcare for the first time ever. It’s a multi-trillion dollar tax hike. The largest middle class tax increase in history."

McCain wrote on his twitter page today, "Sunday Show Roundup: Obama Admin now agree to taxing some employer health benefits, sound familiar?"

But Obama administration aides immediately characterized the Times report as much ado about very little, saying the idea is on the proverbial table along with nearly every health care reform idea under the sun, but not being pushed or particularly supported by the White House.

"I saw this, the article you’re talking about," White House economic adviser Austan Goolsbee said on "Fox News Sunday." "I thought that was highly overstated. That is not in the president’s budget. The president’s budget — you have it there on the table. It does not include this provision. This appears to be coming from (when) the administration and representatives of the administration went to Congress and said, ‘We are open to all ideas to talk about health reform.’"

Goolsbee noted that "there are some people in Congress who are pushing this, but that is not the president’s idea."

The Times report cites as evidence of this "signaling" of a willingness to consider the idea testimony from Office of Management and Budget director Peter Orszag who told the Senate Finance Committee, according to the Times, that the "idea" "most firmly should remain on the table."

Orszag made those comments on March 10, referring to three ideas mentioned by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore.: insurance market reform, making tax rules progressive rather than regressive, and requiring some personal responsibility for, for instance, uninsured taxpayers who make more than $60,000 a year.

"Again, at this point, I think everything, including those three, most firmly, should remain on the table," Orszag said.

Earlier in the hearing the OMB director had said "with regard to benefits and coverage we want to leave everything on the table at this point to allow the process to play out. So you should not expect and you will not be receiving definitive answers from me on exactly what the administration does or does not favor on the benefits-and-coverage side of health reform."

In fact, the notion of everything being on the table came up so often, the chairman of the committee, Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont, asked toward the end of the hearing, "Is there anything off the table as far as the administration is concerned?"

"Not to my knowledge, no," Baucus said. "Everything is on the table."

"Okay," Baucus said, "It’s a pretty big table, and stacked pretty high."

At a different hearing on March 4, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner — confronted with opposition to the Obama administration’s proposal to reduce tax rates for itemized deductions for people who make more than $200,000 a year — said when asked about taxing health insurance benefits, "One of the principles in the president’s budget is, again, to try to preserve our employee-based health-care system. As you know from his comments during the campaign, that’s a very important part of his system. We’d like to preserve that."

That said, Geithner continued, "we recognize there are other ways to do this. And we want to work with you on how best to put together an effective package of reforms that’s fiscally responsible that meets the president’s broad principles."

Asked today if the president is open to the idea, Goolsbee said, "he is open to all ideas. He said, ‘Let’s put all ideas on the table.’" Taxing health insurance benefits, he went on, "is not the president’s idea. It’s not in his health plan. It’s not in his budget."

On NBC’s "Meet the Press", Obama White House Dr. Christina Romer, chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, was asked if the President remains opposed to taxing health care benefits as he was during the campaign.

"He is still opposed to it," Romer said. "He certainly was very critical and very skeptical of it. It is certainly not in our proposal. And we have proposed other ways to deal with health care and to fund it. And so no, it is not something that he supports…His skepticism from the campaign absolutely is, is still there."

Romer refused, however, to say the idea was "off the table."

On CBS’ "Face the Nation", National Economic Council director Larry Summers was asked about "reports that the president may now favor taxing health care benefits."

"That’s not in the president’s proposal," Summers said. "The president’s laid out his principles for judging whatever we do to emphasize lower costs and higher quality, to emphasize allowing people who got a good relationship with their employer in terms of health insurance to continue to continue that relationship. Those are the president’s principles. He’s put forth his proposal….Different things will come out of the Congress, but the president has put forth his proposal and his principles."

- jpt

User Comments

Obama makes me sick. Sick I say!

Posted by: jackie | March 15, 2009, 6:21 pm 6:21 pm

There is a long way to go on health care. We are 38th in the world by the last report I read. Greatest country in the world can do better. We will work it out!
It is the beginning of a long discussion and the likely end will be a better health care system. Can we agree that is necessary?

Posted by: Ps | March 15, 2009, 6:41 pm 6:41 pm

Obama isn’t keeping his word yet again? I’m shocked! Shocked I tell you!
How many lies and broken promises are we up to now? I’ve lost count.

Posted by: Stacey | March 15, 2009, 6:48 pm 6:48 pm

Doesn’t sound like it to me.

Posted by: Thinking | March 15, 2009, 6:49 pm 6:49 pm

If you read the article Obama is opposed to it. We do need to do something to curb the outrageous cost of healthcare and to insure more people.

Posted by: Jwench | March 15, 2009, 6:50 pm 6:50 pm

Okay, this is one McCain idea I do not think Obama plans to adopt. I know they are saying it is not “off the table” but they are also saying it is not something he supports or is planning. For once, i believe the Obama folks. I am beyond apprehensive about what he’s going to do on health care, but taxing benefits is not where I think he’s headed.
See, no knees jerked in the production of this response.

Posted by: moderate | March 15, 2009, 6:53 pm 6:53 pm

on “Fox News Sunday.”
And anyone is giving credence to this? This ######## is like Fox reporting that Obama is going to invade Pakistan based on him NOT saying he isn’t.

Posted by: JR | March 15, 2009, 6:56 pm 6:56 pm

How many lies and broken promises are we up to now? I’ve lost count.
Since I assume you mean republican lies and broken promises, I certainly agree, they should be ashamed of themselves, if they had shame, that is.

Posted by: JR | March 15, 2009, 6:58 pm 6:58 pm

Interesting that 2 people out of 7 read the story correctly. Is there invisible ink when Obama critics read something that the rest of us don’t see. This is the second time today that somebody has read something into a story that was just not there.

Posted by: Jwench | March 15, 2009, 7:02 pm 7:02 pm

Obama is inconsistent. He’s a puppet with multiple string pullers and he seems to be convinced that the last thing he was told is the truth.

Posted by: dl | March 15, 2009, 7:03 pm 7:03 pm

Obama, the socialist idiot who should be impeached now is going to tax everything.

Posted by: Sluggo | March 15, 2009, 7:07 pm 7:07 pm

Mr. Obama is too inexperienced.

Posted by: young_voter | March 15, 2009, 7:12 pm 7:12 pm

It sounds like Obama believes in checks and balances. Remember when the Executive and Legislative branch had equal power? Those times may be back, and welcome to them. Some congressmen (McCain, Baucus) want it on the table, as do some members of the administration, although Obama clearly does not.
If Congress proposes it, and their constituents really support it, and it is constitutional (remember the oath he takes at inauguration), Obama would be right to accept the will of the people and sign the bill. So tell your congresspeople how you feel, if you don’t like this idea.

Posted by: Joyomama | March 15, 2009, 7:13 pm 7:13 pm

Jake, a good question to ask Gibbs is if the president would veto a tax on healthcare if congress passed a bill implementing the tax.

Posted by: mad | March 15, 2009, 7:16 pm 7:16 pm

Obama, the socialist idiot who should be impeached now is going to tax everything.
Posted by: Sluggo | Mar 15, 2009 7:07:23 PM
Where does it say he is taxing it? Please enlighten us all.

Posted by: Jwench | March 15, 2009, 7:18 pm 7:18 pm

OMG, Jake, you do need to report on this…..the big 0 lifts executive order that bans fed funding for stem cell research, then 2 days later signs bill that bans this type of research. This was buried in the Omnibus bill.
It seems that the C in Chief did not read the bill that he signed, violating the basic rule of Judge Judy: “READ THE CONTRACT BEFORE YOU SIGN”.
The incompetence and utter joke of this current administration is amazing. Now go ahead, precious 0-supporters…you are so cute, go ahead and try to defend this foolishness. One day you will realize the huge mistake you made for America.
Note…if Bush had done this, it would be front page news. What say you Jake……

Posted by: decentAmerican | March 15, 2009, 7:20 pm 7:20 pm

Posted by: Hongqi | Mar 15, 2009 7:16:49 PM
90% of what you posted was not going back on anything. The rest is just stuff that you don’t like about Obama. NEXT!
Any thinking #### can figure out that a President can not keep all their promises due to ever changing circumstances. To believe that they can is downright being naive or stupid, take your pick.

Posted by: Jwench | March 15, 2009, 7:23 pm 7:23 pm

mad:Jake, a good question to ask Gibbs is if the president would veto a tax on healthcare if congress passed a bill implementing the tax.
=============
Good question.
Or even just more generally, what would he veto in a health care bill?

Posted by: MayBee | March 15, 2009, 7:26 pm 7:26 pm

It sounds like Obama believes in checks and balances. Remember when the Executive and Legislative branch had equal power? Those times may be back, and welcome to them. Some congressmen (McCain, Baucus) want it on the table, as do some members of the administration, although Obama clearly does not.
****************************************
Rest assured that Congress will not pass it. However I believe he thinks that if he says no now, then the GOP has a gripe! The party of no will say we were not asked, or some such thing. SO GOP here is your chance to sell it. Doesn’t sound like it will fly even with the GOPers from this blog.

Posted by: Thinking | March 15, 2009, 7:28 pm 7:28 pm

OMG, Jake, you do need to report on this…..the big 0 lifts executive order that bans fed funding for stem cell research, then 2 days later signs bill that bans this type of research. This was buried in the Omnibus bill.
****************************************
Well I do not know if the report is correct or not, but if it is he is not a dumb as you think. Here is the difinition of an Embryo:
the developing human individual from the time of implantation to the end of the eighth week after conception.
The key word here is implantation.

Posted by: Thinking | March 15, 2009, 7:38 pm 7:38 pm

thinking:The key word here is implantation.
========
If that’s the definition of embryo, none of this has involved embryos.
Embryonic stem cell research hasn’t been done with embryos, under that definition.

Posted by: MayBee | March 15, 2009, 7:56 pm 7:56 pm

Here’s the definition of “embryo” from the act:
(b) For purposes of this section, the term ‘‘human embryo or embryos’’ includes any organism, not protected as a human subject under 45 CFR 46 as of the date of the enactment of this Act, that is derived by fertilization, parthenogenesis, cloning, or any other means from one or more human gametes or human diploid cells.

Posted by: MayBee | March 15, 2009, 8:01 pm 8:01 pm

Unfortunately, the one proposal that will work, the one the American people want, is NOT on the table. That is the elimination of the health insurance industry, and the move to national health CARE, not insurance.
Health insurance is the problem.

Posted by: Flash Override | March 15, 2009, 8:01 pm 8:01 pm

It can be very difficult for some people to pay a tax on a benefit they do not actually receive in cash. Our tax system is becoming too complicated a pervasive.

Posted by: Gary | March 15, 2009, 8:02 pm 8:02 pm

the one the American people want, is NOT on the table. That is the elimination of the health insurance industry,
—————————————
I imagine the insurance industry workers would prefer they’re jobs not be eliminated.

Posted by: mad | March 15, 2009, 8:08 pm 8:08 pm

Posted by: NubTail | March 15, 2009, 8:08 pm 8:08 pm

IMPEACH OBAMA BEFORE IT’S TO LATE!

Posted by: jackie | March 15, 2009, 8:08 pm 8:08 pm

The administration may have to get on board with benefit taxes seeing as it may be the only way to get health reform past the Senate. It’s a powerful thing to get a bipartisan group of legislators behind an issue.

Posted by: matt | March 15, 2009, 8:09 pm 8:09 pm

Government meddling in health care is what drives up the cost of insurance and health care. The last thing I would want is government in control of healthcare, they have done such a poor job with the SEC, Fannie and Freddie and controlling government costs. Tort reform on lawsuits would help. Many of our great doctors quit in their 50′s they are so afraid of being sued and losing their lifework and savings.

Posted by: Gary | March 15, 2009, 8:09 pm 8:09 pm

If that’s the definition of embryo, none of this has involved embryos.
Embryonic stem cell research hasn’t been done with embryos, under that definition.
****************************************
That is my point! According to the article What was supposedly hidden in the Omnibus Bill was an amendment that prohibited the destruction of an Embryo for Stem-cell research.
The original Poster was Saying Obama was stupid that he signed a Bill that made illegal that which his executive order allowed.
Sorry I do not have the link, but that was the subtance of the Article.

Posted by: Thinking | March 15, 2009, 8:10 pm 8:10 pm

Posted by: Charles | March 15, 2009, 8:12 pm 8:12 pm

Obama needs to go play with his toys in the back yard.

Posted by: Sluggo | March 15, 2009, 8:17 pm 8:17 pm

thinking- the definition in the bill didn’t involve implementation.
Perhaps there is a good explanation for the apparent contradiction, but that isn’t it.

Posted by: MayBee | March 15, 2009, 8:20 pm 8:20 pm

OOps! Meant to say “implantation”.

Posted by: MayBee | March 15, 2009, 8:21 pm 8:21 pm

I’m disappointed in John McCain for calling Obama a hypocrite. Although McCain does has a point, shouldn’t he be happy that Obama is now considering his proposal? By attacking Obama for changing his mind, McCain is just making it less likely that his own proposal will become a reality.
Posted by: Charles | Mar 15, 2009 8:12:24 PM
Where does it say that Obama, himself is considering taxing healthcare. It says several times that he is AGAINST it.

Posted by: Jwench | March 15, 2009, 8:32 pm 8:32 pm

Posted by: Charles | Mar 15, 2009 8:12:24 PM
McCain ought to get down as kiss Obama’s shoes for Obama beating McCain over the head with this?
You cannot be serious.
Obama is a miserable lousy hypocrite.

Posted by: drjohn | March 15, 2009, 8:33 pm 8:33 pm

thinking- the definition in the bill didn’t involve implementation.
Perhaps there is a good explanation for the apparent contradiction, but that isn’t it.
****************************************
Well tyhe only other thing I can come up with is that it states:
The amendment says, in part: “None of the funds made available in this Act may be used for—(1) the creation of a human embryo or embryos for research purposes; or (2) research in which a human embryo or embryos are destroyed, discarded, or knowingly subjected to risk of injury or death.”
So no Funds from Omnibus Bill will be allowed, but does not make it illegal or does not mean that any other federal funds that have been allocated to stem-cell research can not be used.
Other then that I am no lawyer I’ll leave it at that.

Posted by: Thinking | March 15, 2009, 8:33 pm 8:33 pm

Posted by: Jwench | Mar 15, 2009 8:32:53 PM
You might want to read the article above this thread.
Obama was against signing statements too.

Posted by: drjohn | March 15, 2009, 8:35 pm 8:35 pm

Posted by: Paul | March 15, 2009, 8:35 pm 8:35 pm

My mom is 75 and my dad is 80. And I tell them all the time, with all sincerity, that they have seen the best days of our country. With a bunch of thieving and pandering politicians at the helm, a population that is unsustainable and an infrastructure that is crumbling, we are a nation in decline.
Posted by: NubTail | Mar 15, 2009 8:08:54 PM
Obama is putting money into the infrastructure of this country, something that has been neglected for too many years. Did you just notice that there were thieves and crooks in Washington and on Wall Street? Two of the biggest ones just left in January.
At least Obama is trying different things to get this country back to where it should be. It’s better than sitting there doing nothing. The sad part is that there are people who want to see him fail, not realizing if he fails so does the country.

Posted by: Jwench | March 15, 2009, 8:37 pm 8:37 pm

While everybody is complaining!!!!
You better get ready to become slave to CHINA!!!!

Posted by: sisterdearest09 | March 15, 2009, 8:39 pm 8:39 pm

Posted by: Jwench | Mar 15, 2009 8:32:53 PM
You might want to read the article above this thread.
Obama was against signing statements too.
Posted by: drjohn | Mar 15, 2009 8:35:09 PM
I am not sure what you are talking about in reference to this.

Posted by: Jwench | March 15, 2009, 8:41 pm 8:41 pm

There will be plenty of work for opinion wonks, writers and pundits analyzing the repercussions from the unintended consequences of taxing health care benefits. Originally untaxed to encourage an increase in covered citizens, undoing this one is a real Pandora’s Box.

Posted by: smith | March 15, 2009, 8:41 pm 8:41 pm

Taxing health care benefits will be beneficial to the taxpayer by increasing the amount they show as income for social security. It also increases the amount of pension you receive as it includes the amount of health care benefits. It used to be that way in the past. Some of us old folks remember that.

Posted by: Nanny | March 15, 2009, 8:48 pm 8:48 pm

Posted by: AsianGOP | March 15, 2009, 8:51 pm 8:51 pm

What US needs is PEOPLE POWER that ousted dictator Marcos in Philippines back in 1986, to impeach and oust OBAMA. He’s a completele ineffective and inefficient Leader judging from the way he handled the consistent downturns — an economics illiterate He’s trying to take credit for the stock market current upturns nowadays. Let’s see his behavior when stock market gyrates again.
Posted by: AsianGOP | Mar 15, 2009 8:51:00 PM
He’s been in office a little over 5o days. Want to give him some time for his programs to work?
Where were you when Bush and his cronies. Wall Street and these CEO’s were robbing this country blind? Suddenly it’s all Obama’s fault.

Posted by: Jwench | March 15, 2009, 8:55 pm 8:55 pm

John McCain’s twitter….eh?
I thought grampa got crippled up pretty good in the war…when the plane he was using to bomb other people’s country back to the stone age got shot down.
If I recall, in the campaign he was computer illiterate on count of being too crippled up to use a keyboard.
So…who’s doing his twitters for him?

Posted by: doorworker | March 15, 2009, 8:59 pm 8:59 pm

Obama isn’t keeping his word yet again? I’m shocked! Shocked I tell you!
How many lies and broken promises are we up to now? I’ve lost count.
Stacey… Puhleeze! He said he wouldn’t raise taxes on 95% of the people! You heard him…” only those making over $250,000 ” like Daschle, Geithner, Rangel, etc , etc….
And the 95% percent don’t use gasoline, food, clothes, or need their healthcare benefits…

Posted by: Badboy | March 15, 2009, 9:12 pm 9:12 pm

Amazing. Spend, tax, spend, tax…What idiot can’t spend money to get us out of an inflated recession ? What has BO done that any normal, amercian couldn’t do? Typical politician, spend, tax and spend. Given his Chicago politcial background, why are we surprised. Where is the change he promised??? Aemrica is doomed along with our grand-children.

Posted by: X-BO | March 15, 2009, 9:18 pm 9:18 pm

Nanny said “Taxing health care benefits will be beneficial to the taxpayer by increasing the amount they show as income for social security. It also increases the amount of pension you receive as it includes the amount of health care benefits.” Let’s see….. Uh – I really don’t care about showing an increase in income for social security purposes, because I am not counting on social security being anything more than pocket change by the time I am eligible. Health benefits only reduces your Social Security wages IF you choose to have it taken out pre-tax – which gains me far more than I will ever get back from Social Security. As for pensions… are there even any companies that pay a pension any more? I don’t know of any – unless you are in job that is socialized.. which is fine by me. I want control of my OWN life.

Posted by: ellsbells930 | March 15, 2009, 9:18 pm 9:18 pm

Did anybody actually read this article and comprehend it? Obama said that all ideas about healthcare could be put on the table, and McCain and the other Republicans put it there. Then they went to the press and said that Obama proposed it.
It’s a conservative idea that’s been bounced around and rejected over and over, and it will be rejected again.
By the way, last time I looked, Harvard Law School was very hard to get into, and becoming editor of their famous Law Review is reserved for the absolute best and the brightest.
It’s a bit different from Bush, the C student who got into Yale on his family influence. The brainy people are back in charge. Let them do their jobs.

Posted by: lonecrone | March 15, 2009, 9:20 pm 9:20 pm

Remember when George H. W. Bush said “Read my lips: no new taxes”
Obama would be gambling if he acted on this trial balloon about taxing Health Care Benefits. It will be used against him and all Democrats with devastating effect in 2010 and 2012.
Now Obama’s instincts are against this but someone on his team thinks this is a great idea or we wouldn’t be reading about this. This is were Obama needs to be careful not all trial balloons deserve to be sent out there. Already John McCain and the Republicans jumped all over it.
Don’t do it Obama. There is an answer for the health care problem and it isn’t taxes on Health care benefits.

Posted by: Rodger | March 15, 2009, 9:20 pm 9:20 pm

You guys can argue over who is the dumbest or smartest, but I give obama this; he is the slickest politician I have ever seen. He lies right into the camera to the entire nation, saying there is not one earmark. He said he wouldn’t have lobbyists in his admin,
(another lie) and said he wouldn’t raise taxes on 95% of us (another lie)
and the media doesn’t even question him. The liberals were lining up for autographs like he was a rockstar and
Chris Matthews and Keith Olberman get chills up the britches legs over him.
So how come there is about half the country who isn’t in love with him, also? Are we just blind to the fact that he is the messiah?????

Posted by: Badboy | March 15, 2009, 9:23 pm 9:23 pm

Flash Override said “Unfortunately, the one proposal that will work, the one the American people want, is NOT on the table. That is the elimination of the health insurance industry, and the move to national health CARE, not insurance.” Excuse me, but you do not speak for ALL Americans. I am an American citizen & I do not want the government involved in health AT ALL. The Federal government is the reason we are in this healthcare mess in the first place. As soon as they created Medicare, it was the beginning of the end of the healthcare industry being effective & efficient. Every practice that you find repugnant in the health insurance industry got its start in Medicare regs & regulations. The insurance industry just followed Medicare’s lead. And now you want to blindly let the government take over ALL healthcare???? You think people can’t get treatment now? Just wait until a bureaucrat in Washington decides when and IF you get treatment. Be careful what you wish for… you just might get it & be sorry you did.
Posted by: Flash Override

Posted by: ellsbells930 | March 15, 2009, 9:25 pm 9:25 pm

Obama is amazing….he capitalized on all the ignorant voters and took office.
Now he is working hard to destroy ambition, prosperity, the progres in the War on Terror, Quality HealthCare, medium income paycheck etc….but if we are lucky 2010 elections will slow some of his destructive plans. Chances are very good we will have a major Terror attack by then…pray that it is not biological.

Posted by: prowaterboarder | March 15, 2009, 9:26 pm 9:26 pm

Obama would be gambling if he acted on this trial balloon about taxing Health Care Benefits.
**************************************
It is not a trial balloon by any means, It is just Obama not slamming the GOP for putting it on the table. It is an idea floated by some in the GOP it will not make it, he knows it, there is no need for him to worry about it, no need to pick a fight over it, so yea it can be on the table. It is politics.

Posted by: Thinking | March 15, 2009, 9:28 pm 9:28 pm

Posted by: Rodger | March 15, 2009, 9:38 pm 9:38 pm

If this man does this I will NOOTTTTT be voting for him in 4 years Crazyyyyyyyyyy health care is bad enought as it is now don’t add more to it.

Posted by: me | March 15, 2009, 9:53 pm 9:53 pm

My Doctor charges me $100 just to see her for five minutes so she can refer me to a specialist that charges $150. I say freeze rates and tax the medical practitioners, or better yet, the corporate fat cats running “managed care” premises. Those jokers are out of control. Same doctor shaved a mole off my wife, took 3 seconds, called it surgery, and charged $275. Unbelievable. Unbelieveable.

Posted by: WestCoastMessenger | March 15, 2009, 10:04 pm 10:04 pm

Listen Obama LIed to everyone, he cannot be trusted, he is a lowlife piece of crap..protected by the media..you will NOT see anything on this issue on the nightly news…Obama would call jake and charlie into his office and kick the hell out of them

Posted by: Obama-LIVE FROM THE WAFFLE HOUSE | March 15, 2009, 10:08 pm 10:08 pm

Thanks Jake …
For shedding some light on the tricks the GOP ( in collaboration with the NY Times ) are trying to play …
Obviously, the President is giving them a chance to present their views and they in turn are trying to paint him as the one proposing those views …
I hope the President REJECTS every single one of them, like the VOTERS did in November …

Posted by: Bloggette | March 15, 2009, 10:11 pm 10:11 pm

I used to think the press was free, then I figured out it was just cheap.
This is the final nail in the coffin. Our press is simply subjunctive.

Posted by: Flash Override | March 15, 2009, 10:14 pm 10:14 pm

Romer refused, however, to say the idea was “off the table.”
Nuff said.

Posted by: verner | March 15, 2009, 11:09 pm 11:09 pm

Too late. The carbon tax is a tax on air.

Posted by: mad | March 15, 2009, 11:13 pm 11:13 pm

To: Jackie- Obama makes you sick? Have you, a family member, or friend had a serious illness lately? The cost will make you reall sick. Thank you for approving this greed driven, Repube approved, neofascist U.S. medical industrial system.

Posted by: B. Bear | March 15, 2009, 11:19 pm 11:19 pm

PBO should say he will only tax those 5% rich people who want to live longer. It’s only fair they pay more to fund the poor 95% people.

Posted by: two cats | March 15, 2009, 11:21 pm 11:21 pm

When you die and fact that you decay which will release CO2, Obama will take that emission as well. So, you see, up until now, we know that we can’t escape from death and taxes, but it seems that this brilliant bozo will be able to find a way so that even in death, you are tax. No, being cremated won’t relieve you of your responsibilities either since you will have to pay the energy tax and the CO2 tax. Welcome to The Union of Obama Socialist Republic. (UOSR)

Posted by: Gina | March 15, 2009, 11:29 pm 11:29 pm

Nothing like a little controversy to sell some papers when you’re an increasingly desperate outlet like the cash strapped New York Times.
First it’s gray hair. Then its buff arms. Kids bedtimes. Then you write an article how everyone but you is doing articles like that. Even if they were on your front page. Tee hee hee hee!!!!
Then you just make up stuff thinking you have any credibility left.
Keep going, NYT. I don’t need to subscribe to read it.

Posted by: kravitz | March 16, 2009, 12:01 am 12:01 am

Obama is the JOKE we have been waiting for !

Posted by: JP | March 16, 2009, 12:17 am 12:17 am

Obama is evil and a naccissist

Posted by: connerstone77 | March 16, 2009, 4:28 am 4:28 am

Obama is your typical TAX everything and spend it wastefully scum bum politicians. Then call it CHANGE.

Posted by: beth | March 16, 2009, 6:07 am 6:07 am

WestCoastMessenger said ”
Same doctor shaved a mole off my wife, took 3 seconds, called it surgery, and charged $275. Unbelievable. Unbelieveable.” That IS surgery. It is a procedure with a surgical code. Don’t blame the doctor, it’s the law. And it would STILL be a surgical procedure under ANY plan the government would come up with.

Posted by: ellsbells930 | March 16, 2009, 6:32 am 6:32 am

I voted for Obama, but I already wrote to him directly–if he supports taxing healthcare benefits, I will immediately and actively oppose him and anybody else who supports this notion. It is that simple for me.
I do not understand and nobody can logically explain how taxing healthcare benefits can in any way reduce the cost of healthcare.
Tax these benefits and my pocketbook will open in opposition.

Posted by: Bill | March 16, 2009, 6:35 am 6:35 am

I don’t trust New York Times anymore.

Posted by: anonymous | March 16, 2009, 7:11 am 7:11 am

Tax the Congress and all government workers on their HEALTH PLANS..it is time they paid up!

Posted by: taxobamasineptpresidency | March 16, 2009, 8:03 am 8:03 am

Healthcare is an expensive mess but the answer is not yet another redistributive tax which will only increase costs for everyone. The answer is to start saying ‘no’ to people. Europeans, with their universal care, say ‘no’ to much of the care we so readily give out to all from the wealthy who pay to the ‘undocumented’ who walk into the emergency room. The British routinely deny care to smokers. Obesity related diabetes is one of the major causes of increased healthcare costs in this country. At what point do we start talking about personal responsibility? Until we start saying ‘no’ we will be stuck with this mess.

Posted by: bct | March 16, 2009, 8:05 am 8:05 am

Here’s a textbook case of journalist getting played by the Republicans. The “fundemantals are sound” soundbite got so much play that they figured they could use the same ploy again (cue whisper in Tapper’s ear…)
.
The problem is the double bind that the press themselves have deliberately set up. Snub the Republicans and he’s failing at bipartisanship; Work with the Republicans and he’s hypocritically embracing what he campaigned against.
You guys need to pick a story and stick to it. Otherwise it’s ABC themselves who are shown to be the hypocrites.

Posted by: Paul Dirks | March 16, 2009, 8:35 am 8:35 am

If the administration is really serious about healthcare reform and wants to ensure more people have basic care then they will have to deny care somewhere. A 95 year old relative died last year after 3 weeks in the hospital for pneumonia and other related illnesses. Her bill was over $90K all paid for by Medicare. I have a great aunt who is sharp as a tack at 101 and always lamenting that ‘they just don’t let people die anymore’. These are hard choices but if we want to control costs and provide more practical care, we need to start saying ‘no’.

Posted by: bct | March 16, 2009, 8:40 am 8:40 am

It’s Pelosi and Reid that caused this mess. Time for them to go!!!!

Posted by: liberalview | March 16, 2009, 8:47 am 8:47 am

Here’s another. A family friend had a heart attack in London. He was treated and billed for the full tab and had to claim his insurance company in the U.S. What would have happened if he couldn’t pay? In the U.S., Medicaid would have picked up the tab. How many indigent visitors are we paying for? Many more than Europe. Before you start taxes my benefits, get rid of excessive costs you can control. Stop mindlessly providing everyone with everything. And stop the lawyers from suing doctors and hospitals requiring them to not only take on expensive malpractice insurance but provide everything to everyone. The lawyers are a big root of all this.

Posted by: bct | March 16, 2009, 8:49 am 8:49 am

What if everyone tried to live within their means,Congress included.We the American tax payer should demand this!ABC news report abuse whether its Republican or Democrat,don’t put your liberal slant on the news.Report it straight up.

Posted by: Johnny L | March 16, 2009, 9:09 am 9:09 am

I just really don’t understand what’s so hard about journalists looking at President Obama’s comprehensive budget plan and figuring out what BARACK OBAMA supports.
For anyone with a different idea, the media needs to ask how THAT idea fits into a all-encompassing comprehensive budget plan.
To say that all ideas are on the table doesn’t indicate in any way that President Obama actually SUPPORTS anything but his OWN plan. Right?
Since the GOP has no ideas of their own, they simply go around asking if Obama is open to this idea or that idea…
And the answer has always been:
“President Obama is open to ANY GOOD IDEA.”
So doesn’t it make sense to start with asking questions about the plan he’s put out, rather than asking him about other people’s ideas and what he thinks of them?
Or, doesn’t it make sense to ask these people with other ideas, how their idea works into a comprehensive plan of their own?
I honestly haven’t heard of a comprehensive budget plan from the GOP for next year’s budget, never mind for a long-term budget plan like Obama has be willing to give us.
I don’t think we elected President Obama just to listen to the minority GOP give us another barrel of their petty political whining and partisan carping.
The direction the majority of Americans want our nation to go is not the direction the GOP took us in for the last eight years, but is instead the complete OPPOSITE direction — the direction that Barack Obama campaigned on.
President Obama’s plan is comprehensive.
The GOP needs to come up with their own comprehensive budget plan, or else get out of Obama’s way.

Posted by: Jan | March 16, 2009, 9:17 am 9:17 am

“By the way, last time I looked, Harvard Law School was very hard to get into, and becoming editor of their famous Law Review is reserved for the absolute best and the brightest.”
Funny stuff :) Every Harvard grad I’ve EVER worked with has been a complete moron. I’m talking borderline mental retardation. Yet they graduate and are “entitled” to the best jobs in the country?
At any rate, congrats to Obama for scoring an Ivy League education – it’s all the rage, what with corporate croneyism and the downfall of our inbred “free market for friends and family” capitalism.
Obama may have been the “head of the dunces” – but sadly, that’s about as much prestige as you can bestow on that position these days. Sorry.

Posted by: New Cronkite | March 16, 2009, 9:27 am 9:27 am

5,000 people showed up for the Cincinnati tea party protest, yet the MSM fails to report.
Why? Protecting Obama? THAT’S NOT YOUR JOB!

Posted by: Michelle | March 16, 2009, 9:27 am 9:27 am

The moment all upper 3% taxpayers have been waiting for: The moment when all taxpayers (regardless of income level) realize that they are going to get it too!!!

Posted by: DontGet818OnMeNow | March 16, 2009, 9:29 am 9:29 am

[[Taxing Your Health Benefits]]
That’s [[John McCain's & the Republican Party's]] Platform.
Yesterday, it was Rejected by Obama’s Economic Adviser, as “Not Acceptable”…
Looking at this Proposal, does not mean…
Obama is Accepting this Proposal.
———
Much Ado about… NOTHING
Call Me when that Happens.

Posted by: O. | March 16, 2009, 9:29 am 9:29 am

obama says he’s not going to tax health care? and you believe him LOL sheeesh

Posted by: pink stocks are a scam | March 16, 2009, 9:30 am 9:30 am

Taxing health care, sure why not. We tax phones, gas, food, housing, purchases lets tax health care. In fact lets tax taxes. We can print more money and hand it out to everyone. Better still lets create a new business that just moves money around from one hand to the next, with each hand taking some away. At the end we will print more, wont this be a fun little game.
Posted by: Paul | Mar 15, 2009 8:35:30 PM
========================
In case you aren’t aware, they plan to eliminate the claiming of last years taxes paid as a deduction, meaning that certain people will be paying taxes on their taxes….

Posted by: samhiguchi | March 16, 2009, 9:32 am 9:32 am

If President Pelosi wants something she will get it.
She makes the decisions and Obama doesn’t have the guts to tell her no.
And how else will they afford their next spending spree?

Posted by: sammy | March 16, 2009, 9:37 am 9:37 am

Quick tangent here – but what exactly caused the downfall of our formerly “elite” universities?
Quite seriously, I think it’s because most rich smart, successful guys marry themselves off to dumb bimbo trophy wives like Sarah Palin – or marry into money.
At any rate, the majority end up with REALLY stupid kids. And so they lowered the standards (and continued lowering them) to make certain they could preserve their family legacy.
Anyway, the next time you hear a bailed out corporation relating how they MUST retain their “best talent” with billions of dollars in bonuses -
It’s just a continuation of that same sense of entitlement. Junior needs his Ferrari to impress the high class hookers that pass for models in the fashion industry.
If you screw with that, you’re tearing at the very fabric of our nation.
America’s standing in the world rests on the reputations of America’s wealthiest families.

Posted by: New Cronkite | March 16, 2009, 9:55 am 9:55 am

This makes very little sense to me. I think we can fund healthcare without this by: (1) Eliminating the income limit on Social Security taxes; (2) Expand eligibility for the Federal Employees healt ins program by allowing small businesses to pick up a percentage of the Federal govt contribution (e.g. pay 50=80% of what the government pays) and have the employees pick up the rest; (3) Any company that achieves 100% coverage of its emloyees gets a tax credit = 20% of its contributions in addition to deducting its payments as a business expense; (4) Congress repeals its separate health care plan for itself and its staff to return to the Fedral system; (5)Medicaid funding can be used by states to purchase insurance to cover the poor or directly fund treatment at their option based on whatever is cheaper. This gives everyone bargaining power with insurers and avoids leaping into single payer systenms, builds on something that exists and works and eliminates Congress’ opt out for a better plan from several years ago to make good on what both candidates said about getting everyone coverage as good as they got as Senators.

Posted by: dem-dog | March 16, 2009, 10:13 am 10:13 am

Gee, you mean this Obama guy isn’t what he portrayed himself to be during the campaign? Get OUT!!!!!! Totally shocked!

Posted by: Obama, the second coming | March 16, 2009, 10:41 am 10:41 am

Another tax on a demoralized citizenry in the middle of a major depression? WHAT?!? Oh, wait a minute, Obama did say just a few days ago that the fundamentals of the economy are sound. I guess he said that just so we’d all think the economy is getting better and be willing to pay his little tax with no complaints.
Uggghh. Hit by Obama again.

Posted by: NPage | March 16, 2009, 11:58 am 11:58 am

It wasn’t more than a week ago that Gibbs was saying Single-Payer — what everyone outside the elites WANTS — IS “off the table”. It’s pretty clear this gang is dithering on everything, and lying about most things.
Meanwhile, they’re following Bush on the non-person status of those detained at Guantanamo, on wiretapping, on executive privilege … AND unleashing the online brown-shirts to agitate for passage of the “Democratic” budget.
For those who can, it’s time to emigrate.

Posted by: Pants on Fire | March 16, 2009, 12:20 pm 12:20 pm

“By the way, last time I looked, Harvard Law School was very hard to get into, and becoming editor of their famous Law Review is reserved for the absolute best and the brightest.”
Have you ever heard of Affirmitive Action? Obama isn’t all that samart. How come there is no proof of anything he’s down while editor of the Law Review. He was not very memorable at Harvard at all.

Posted by: Nan | March 16, 2009, 4:09 pm 4:09 pm

bct said ” A 95 year old relative died last year after 3 weeks in the hospital for pneumonia and other related illnesses. Her bill was over $90K all paid for by Medicare. ” Her bill may have been over $90K, but the hospital sure didn’t get paid that. Assuming the DRG assigned was DRG 89 Simple Pneumonia & Pleurisy age >17 w/ CC (comorbid. & complications) then the hospital received approximately $4,000 for that stay. Since the average length of stay for that DRG is 4.78 days, and she was in for 3 weeks, the hospital would probably receive a little extra money for her stay being an outlier. Another thing is that with other diagnoses, she may have ended up in a slightly higher DRG. With additional payments, the hospital MAYBE got $7,500 at the most…. meaning they would write off $82,000. Based on my experience in health care cost accounting, the actual cost for the stay (including overhead, etc.) was probably $50-60K.

Posted by: ellsbells | March 16, 2009, 6:44 pm 6:44 pm

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Is President Obama Considering Taxing Health Care Benefits?

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