Should employee benefits be tax exempt?

[colfax_m]

That was going to be my question. What benefits does the OP refer to?

But in general I'd say no. But then imo everyone should be covered by HC insurance. The devil of course is in the details.

Why? Why do you believe insurance is the only way to pay for health care? Why can't people try out different solutions?

because paying docs with chickens and potatoes really won't work anymore.

Cute, but seriously - why do you feel justified forcing your preferred health care financing scheme on everyone else?

What’s your alternative scheme?

I dunno. Does it matter?

Well, kind of. If you’re critical that the government doesn’t support alternative schemes, it would help if you identified if these alternative schemes actually exist.

 

[dblack]

Why health insurance? Is that the only benefit that should be tax exempt?

That was going to be my question. What benefits does the OP refer to?

But in general I'd say no. But then imo everyone should be covered by HC insurance. The devil of course is in the details.

Why? Why do you believe insurance is the only way to pay for health care? Why can't people try out different solutions?

because paying docs with chickens and potatoes really won't work anymore.

Cute, but seriously - why do you feel justified forcing your preferred health care financing scheme on everyone else?

No offense but we've had mult threads on HC, and G5000 and myself have been there and done that. And as I posted above, the devil's in the details. As noted in others' posts, obviously a 26 year old in Obamacare's premiums subsidized older people's care, because younger people ON AVERAGE don't need as much. But if everyone who waits to 60 to access HC for the first time wants to pay the same as other 60 year olds whove gotten preventative care, then they're subisized by the rest of us.

But my blow off response with chickens wasn't just a smart ass comment. I'm not interested in derailing your thread. But I don't see your response as "everyone not needing insurance" as being very responsive to my question about what you mean by "benefits."

Adios

Well, by benefits I simply meant the benefits that are currently tax exempt under the law. That seemed obvious. Which benefits do you think should be tax exempt?

 

[dblack]

Why? Why do you believe insurance is the only way to pay for health care? Why can't people try out different solutions?

because paying docs with chickens and potatoes really won't work anymore.

Cute, but seriously - why do you feel justified forcing your preferred health care financing scheme on everyone else?

What’s your alternative scheme?

I dunno. Does it matter?

Well, kind of. If you’re critical that the government doesn’t support alternative schemes, it would help if you identified if these alternative schemes actually exist.

I'm critical of the fact that government is "supporting" any schemes. We don't need government to tell us how to live.

 

[dblack]

I didn't vote, the question seems a little vague, 'benefits' can mean many things.

Health insurance, yes.

Why?

 

[HappyJoy]

I didn't vote, the question seems a little vague, 'benefits' can mean many things.

Health insurance, yes.

Why?

To make healthcare more affordable.

 

[WTH_Progs?]

Can't address the OP, because OP didn't list what types of benefits.

 

[g5000]

Choose one. If you feel like it, explain your answer.

No. There should be ZERO tax expenditures in our tax code.

Currently, though, the employer contribution to health insurance, which is the bulk of the insurance premium, is 100 percent tax exempt.

It shouldn't be.

The employer health insurance tax exemption is one of the factors which bends the cost of healthcare upward.

 

[dblack]

I didn't vote, the question seems a little vague, 'benefits' can mean many things.

Health insurance, yes.

Why?

To make healthcare more affordable.

What about daycare? Housing? Why just health care? Why should government make this call?

 

[colfax_m]

because paying docs with chickens and potatoes really won't work anymore.

Cute, but seriously - why do you feel justified forcing your preferred health care financing scheme on everyone else?

What’s your alternative scheme?

I dunno. Does it matter?

Well, kind of. If you’re critical that the government doesn’t support alternative schemes, it would help if you identified if these alternative schemes actually exist.

I'm critical of the fact that government is "supporting" any schemes. We don't need government to tell us how to live.

Suit yourself.

 

[dblack]

Can't address the OP, because OP didn't list what types of benefits.

That's because I don't believe any benefits should be promoted, or discouraged, by the government. It's really none of their business how people are compensated.

 

[LeftofLeft]

I think healthcare, wellness, long term and short term insurance, retirement, life insurance should all be tax exempt. All serve as catalysts towards you not being dependent on the government in the future.

 

[g5000]

Tax expenditures (exemptions, credits, deductions) are a massive government social welfare program. It is deliberate interference which grossly distorts the free market.

No right-minded conservative would EVER support this huge $1.4 trillion annual expense which drives up tax rates and government borrowing.

 

[g5000]

Tax expenditures are a classic example of robbing Peter to pay Paul.

 

[Dick Foster]

Employee benefits are compensation for employment so indeed should be taxed. Otherwise there'd be all sorts of scams to sidestep taxes and taxable compensation which someone without those benefits elsewhere would have to make up.

 

[HappyJoy]

I didn't vote, the question seems a little vague, 'benefits' can mean many things.

Health insurance, yes.

Why?

To make healthcare more affordable.

What about daycare? Housing? Why just health care? Why should government make this call?

To some extent depending on income daycare is tax deductible as are mortgage payments. Neither of these is paid through by an employer as far as I know, so why are you including them?

 

[HappyJoy]

Employee benefits are compensation for employment so indeed should be taxed. Otherwise there'd be all sorts of scams to sidestep taxes and taxable compensation which someone without those benefits elsewhere would have to make up.

Why? health insurance premiums are already not taxed.

 

[impuretrash]

Why is the libertarian only allowed to say "no" to exemptions? Don't you guys think taxation is theft?

 

[dblack]

Why is the libertarian only allowed to say "no" to exemptions? Don't you guys think taxation is theft?

I don't. It's somewhat different than theft in that it's something we are all subject to, and is controlled by state policy. Though I think taxes are used for all kinds of things the government shouldn't be doing, my main concern is that taxation isn't used as a carrot and stick for government to bully people with.

 

[depotoo]

Choose one. If you feel like it, explain your answer.

No. There should be ZERO tax expenditures in our tax code.

Currently, though, the employer contribution to health insurance, which is the bulk of the insurance premium, is 100 percent tax exempt.

It shouldn't be.

The employer health insurance tax exemption is one of the factors which bends the cost of healthcare upward.

The bulk of the premium? Not anywhere I know of, unless maybe under union companies.

 

[g5000]

Choose one. If you feel like it, explain your answer.

No. There should be ZERO tax expenditures in our tax code.

Currently, though, the employer contribution to health insurance, which is the bulk of the insurance premium, is 100 percent tax exempt.

It shouldn't be.

The employer health insurance tax exemption is one of the factors which bends the cost of healthcare upward.

The bulk of the premium? Not anywhere I know of, unless maybe under union companies.

Yes, the bulk of the premium. In almost all cases. How do you not know this?!?

What Percent of Health Insurance is Paid by Employers?

Across the country, Kaiser Family Foundation found the average percent of health insurance paid by employers is 82 percent for single coverage and 71 percent for family coverage.