Senate Health Proposal Has $6 Billion Fee For Insurers
“A health-care proposal by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus would impose a $6 billion annual fee on health insurers, according to a summary of the proposal.
…
Other “pay-for” provisions in the plan include a $2.3 billion annual fee on pharmaceutical companies, a $4 billion annual fee on medical device makers and a $750 million annual fee on clinical laboratory companies - all of which would begin in 2010.
…
Baucus’ proposal also requires all Americans to purchase health insurance, with penalties for failure to comply ranging from $750-$950 per uninsured individual.
…
Baucus said the insurance proposal is “very important,” and he cited a recent analysis by a financial firm that he said showed that fee “would be very hard to pass on to consumers.”
“Very hard?” Uh-huh, right.