Hillary: People who refuse to buy health insurance may have wages garnished

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton said Sunday she might be willing to garnish the wages of workers who refuse to buy health insurance to achieve coverage for all Americans.

The New York senator has criticized presidential rival Barack Obama for pushing a health plan that would not require universal coverage. Clinton has not always specified the enforcement measures she would embrace, but when pressed on ABC's "This Week," she said: "I think there are a number of mechanisms" that are possible, including "going after people's wages, automatic enrollment."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080203/ap_on_...campaign_rdp_31

[no name 1]

Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton said Sunday she might be willing to garnish the wages of workers who refuse to buy health insurance to achieve coverage for all Americans.

The New York senator has criticized presidential rival Barack Obama for pushing a health plan that would not require universal coverage. Clinton has not always specified the enforcement measures she would embrace, but when pressed on ABC's "This Week," she said: "I think there are a number of mechanisms" that are possible, including "going after people's wages, automatic enrollment."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080203/ap_on_...campaign_rdp_31

Read up on how UHC works in other countries, this is not news.

[PlatyPius 5]

Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton said Sunday she might be willing to garnish the wages of workers who refuse to buy health insurance to achieve coverage for all Americans.

The New York senator has criticized presidential rival Barack Obama for pushing a health plan that would not require universal coverage. Clinton has not always specified the enforcement measures she would embrace, but when pressed on ABC's "This Week," she said: "I think there are a number of mechanisms" that are possible, including "going after people's wages, automatic enrollment."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080203/ap_on_...campaign_rdp_31

This is the #1 reason why, if she were the only candidate on the ballot, I wouldn't vote for her.

Either the gov't needs to provide the healthcare, or it stays the hell out of it.

As it always happens, the people who don't qualify as truely "poor", but who are living paycheck to paycheck are the ones who will get screwed by this. Any extra dollars out of their pay for healthcare or whatever means that someone doesn't eat or some utility doesn't get paid.

Not to mention that the government putting their sticky fingers directly into my paycheck in the form of garnishments is just creepy and a bad precedent.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

The Democratic Underground has this to say:

Hillary is going to bleed the middle class by garnishing wages to pay for healthcare

Unbelievable.

How will middle-class citizens live? Im not rich, shes going to take money out of my wage that I worked hard for?

She is no friend to the poor, she is in with the insurance companies.

Can you believe that? Forcing people to buy health insurance instead of making it affordable.

She has no idea on how to run healthcare, thats also why her first healthcare plan failed.

[PlatyPius 5]

The Democratic Underground has this to say:

Hillary is going to bleed the middle class by garnishing wages to pay for healthcare

Unbelievable.

How will middle-class citizens live? Im not rich, shes going to take money out of my wage that I worked hard for?

She is no friend to the poor, she is in with the insurance companies.

Can you believe that? Forcing people to buy health insurance instead of making it affordable.

She has no idea on how to run healthcare, thats also why her first healthcare plan failed.

Exactly. At least with our current (broken) system, if money is really tight, you can just not go to the doctor if need be. With this forced insurance plan of hers, we'll be paying, and paying, and paying.....

Only someone who is in bed with the insurance companies would think this was a great plan. Forced insurance! Yay! At least with car insurance it benefits society as a whole....

[one...two...tree 2,762]

This is the #1 reason why, if she were the only candidate on the ballot, I wouldn't vote for her.

Either the gov't needs to provide the healthcare, or it stays the hell out of it.

As it always happens, the people who don't qualify as truely "poor", but who are living paycheck to paycheck are the ones who will get screwed by this. Any extra dollars out of their pay for healthcare or whatever means that someone doesn't eat or some utility doesn't get paid.

Not to mention that the government putting their sticky fingers directly into my paycheck in the form of garnishments is just creepy and a bad precedent.

I agree.

[kaydee457 13]

GO HILLARY!....We won't need McCain to run against her as she's hell bent on defeating herself.....

[Mags 112]

What I find ironic is that most people in America who don't have insurance don't have it because they can't afford it. But, by them having money automatically deducted from their wages means that they will have even less money. How is that good for the people? Less money to feed and cloth themselves? Yup. More homes repossessed through people unable to now pay their mortgage? Yup.

And I thought some of UK policies were #######. This is the icing on the cake.

Edited February 3, 2008 by Mags

[no name 1]

And what, pray tell, is that NI contribution I made in the UK?

[Mags 112]

And what, pray tell, is that NI contribution I made in the UK?

Not just healthcare my sweet.

[no name 1]

And what, pray tell, is that NI contribution I made in the UK?

Not just healthcare.

Edited February 3, 2008 by devilette

[one...two...tree 2,762]

The best national healthcare system, IMO, would be one that is basically set up like Medicare - we would pay an income tax to pay for it. No politician wants to talk about taxing people, but that's the only reasonable way to do it. The payoff is that for most of us who are paying upwards of $200 a month or more for health insurance would no longer be paying premiums in exchange for everyone having health insurance.

[HAL 9000 96]

We currently pay SS and Medicare taxes that we will not see at 100% of our contributions. Why not adjust the system to make it 100% of our contribution, including health care?

[Mags 112]

The average cost of insurance for an American who is not covered by their employer is over $300 a month. THREE HUNDRED. Wages in many parts of the USA are far lower than in the UK yet NI was MUCH lower than the equivalent 150 quid (in exchange rate). Suddenly start taking $300 a month or a similar figure out of someone's wages who only earns say $1500 a month and you are going to have MAJOR problems.

NI in the UK covers unemployment, pension AND healthcare for a far lower fee. Plus we don't have all the pre-pays and co-pays, dental is included (for the most part for adults and completely for kids) and you can go to the doctors when ever you bloody well want as many times as you want. Not all insurance in the USA does that, especially if you're on the lower end of the affordability spectrum.

Simple fact here Dev is you are pro Hillary and will never agree with anyone who isn't. That's nothing to get all knicker twisty waddy about, it's just the way things are. *shrugs* Now, where's my bagel gone? I'm hungry.

Edited February 3, 2008 by Mags

[no name 1]

FYI...

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/rates/nic.htm

----

National Insurance explained

NICs fund the state pension

The National Insurance system pays for a number of benefits and the retirement pension.

Most people who work have to pay National Insurance Contributions (NI) unless they are one of the groups who are exempt from the system.

There are six types of NI, but which one will depend on someone's status, for example, whether they are employed, self-employed, not employed or an employer.

Payment of Class 1 contributions gives entitlement to benefits, including the Jobseeker's Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, a Widows Pension, Maternity Allowance and the Retirement Pension.

All employees are liable to pay Class I NI and the self-employed are liable to pay Class 2 and Class 4 (which is paid on profits above a certain level).

NI contacts

Refunds Group, Revenue & Customs, National Insurance Contributions Office, Benton Park Road, Longbenton, Newcastle, NE98 1ZZ

NI Self employed helpline: 0845 9154655

Switchboard: 0191 213 5000

If you are an employee but leave your work to become self-employed, you will then be liable to pay Class 2 NI for every week of self-employment as long as you fulfil the other key criteria of age and eligibility.

It is your responsibility to notify the Revenue of any relevant change in your employment status.

The self-employed are also liable to pay Class 4 NI on any profits between specified lower and upper limits. If you earn less than £5,225 (tax year 2007 to 2008) you do not have to pay NI.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/2966852.stm