Obama says that now insurance co's, not churches, will have to pay for contraception

[LuvRPgrl]

I have never felt like the policy belonged to me because at any time the employer could choose to terminate the policy without my approval. Please explain again how the policy belongs to me, the employee, no matter who is paying for it. Seriously, even if I'm paying the majority of it, the employer can terminate at any time.

Typically when people speak about the health care, they refer to it in terms of non-ownership, like, MY COMPANY PROVIDES MY HEALTH INSURANCE,
I get my insurance from my.....
they never say, I pay for my health insurance but then its deducted out of my pay,

and, just like if a company provides other benefits in leu of money, like, they provide my car, the company owns the car and is letting the employee use it, the employer basically has a plan with some insurance company, and the only consistent partners are the employer and the insurer.

everybody else comes and goes.

Not to mention its a policy that provides discounts because its such a large plan, something an employee cant take with them if they quit. THAT plan is not available to the employee unless they sign onto a plan already in place by an employer.

one of the reasons benefits got so popular once they started was because of tax exemption, so, if they were legally income, you can bet the IRS would be taxing it,

oh, and then there;'s that amendment thingie

[Missileman]

Typically when people speak about the health care, they refer to it in terms of non-ownership, like, MY COMPANY PROVIDES MY HEALTH INSURANCE,
I get my insurance from my.....
they never say, I pay for my health insurance but then its deducted out of my pay,

and, just like if a company provides other benefits in leu of money, like, they provide my car, the company owns the car and is letting the employee use it, the employer basically has a plan with some insurance company, and the only consistent partners are the employer and the insurer.

everybody else comes and goes.

Not to mention its a policy that provides discounts because its such a large plan, something an employee cant take with them if they quit. THAT plan is not available to the employee unless they sign onto a plan already in place by an employer.

one of the reasons benefits got so popular once they started was because of tax exemption, so, if they were legally income, you can bet the IRS would be taxing it,

oh, and then there;'s that amendment thingie

So let's see you walk into a company that you DON'T work for and get a policy through them. If it's not compensation for working there, you should have no problem.

[LuvRPgrl]

So let's see you walk into a company that you DON'T work for and get a policy through them. If it's not compensation for working there, you should have no problem.

lets see u walk thru a door of some company and use their photocopy machine. Does that make using the machine a part of your income?

[Missileman]

lets see u walk thru a door of some company and use their photocopy machine. Does that make using the machine a part of your income?

NO, you idiot...because I DON'T WORK THERE.

[SassyLady]

The policy belongs to whomever derives benefit from it. Sorry, but that's the best I can explain it.

I'm not trying to pick a fight here MM....but that is like saying my car belongs to my daughter because she drives it to school everyday ... she is the benefactor, but I'm the one paying all the expenses related.

Sorry ... can't accept this explanation either.

[LuvRPgrl]

NO, you idiot...because I DON'T WORK THERE.

Dont call me names.

Its the exact point. But an employee can use the photocopier, but that doesnt mean it belongs to them

[fj1200]

So let's see you walk into a company that you DON'T work for and get a policy through them. If it's not compensation for working there, you should have no problem.

NO, you idiot...because I DON'T WORK THERE.

[Missileman]

Dont call me names.

Its the exact point. But an employee can use the photocopier, but that doesnt mean it belongs to them

They can use it for company purposes and most employers probably don't have an issue with an occasional personal copy. Regardless, this has absolutely no correlation to a health insurance policy. You're trying to compare something for company use with something for personal use.

[Missileman]

I'm not trying to pick a fight here MM....but that is like saying my car belongs to my daughter because she drives it to school everyday ... she is the benefactor, but I'm the one paying all the expenses related.

Sorry ... can't accept this explanation either.

If the policy didn't belong to the employee, but belonged to the employer, then the employer could send another employee to get treated under your policy and stick YOU with the copays.

[SassyLady]

If the policy didn't belong to the employee, but belonged to the employer, then the employer could send another employee to get treated under your policy and stick YOU with the copays.

It has been my experience that there is a Group # for the employer and that all employees are listed as a member of that group, therefore no one individual owns a separate policy.

However, maybe I'm just not as up-to-date on current benefit plans. Perhaps there are companies that allow each individual to choose their own plan and the employer just agrees to pay a flat portion each month toward the premium. If that is the case, then I would agree that that premium is a benefit to the employee and it should show up as taxable wages. Then I would also agree, if it shows up as taxable wages to the employee, then the company should be allowed to deduct it as if it were wages paid out.

[logroller]

OR, they might even be, illegally in my opinion, forced to provide insurance.

BUT STILL, MM, are they taxed on the insurance?
simple question.,

I don't believe the employer is taxed on the premiums either...so, what's your point?

I'm not trying to pick a fight here MM....but that is like saying my car belongs to my daughter because she drives it to school everyday ... she is the benefactor, but I'm the one paying all the expenses related.

Well, to be fair, let's say its her car, (as its certainly the employee's body and health) and you agree to pay for the insurance. Shouldn't she be able to get some low/no cost addition to the policy, like say, uninsured driver at her own expense to protect her car?

lets see u walk thru a door of some company and use their photocopy machine. Does that make using the machine a part of your income?

It would have to be a lot of copies to qualify as reportable income, but yes, it would be.

It has been my experience that there is a Group # for the employer and that all employees are listed as a member of that group, therefore no one individual owns a separate policy.

However, maybe I'm just not as up-to-date on current benefit plans. Perhaps there are companies that allow each individual to choose their own plan and the employer just agrees to pay a flat portion each month toward the premium. If that is the case, then I would agree that that premium is a benefit to the employee and it should show up as taxable wages. Then I would also agree, if it shows up as taxable wages to the employee, then the company should be allowed to deduct it as if it were wages paid out.

There are, when I was at fedex we could select between PPO, POS, or HMO; each with different costs. And for the record--best coverage I've ever had; better than any and all the union bargained crap I've seen. Agreed-- its taxable compensation and should be tax deductible.