Another fine mess

It's one thing to listen to the news and watch all the Sunday morning political chat shows; it’s another to actually read and digest the healthcare bill. If you do, you'll find it's a mess. If you're a Democrat, I'm sorry. If you're a Republican, I'm sorry. I always thought your heads were buried in the sand. My bad. That's not where they're buried at all.

I have one question: How do you people sit down?

This was sent to me by my friend Monica: 

Hi Brett,

After reading your latest blog, I decided to take the "Brett Hudson Challenge." Wow. “Where's the reform?” is an understatement! The two things that caught my eye on the first page: 

* Purpose: In the nature of a substitute. 

* To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to modify the first-time homebuyers credit in the case of members of the Armed Forces and certain other Federal employ-- politicalese --and for other purposes. 

Brett, this bill is more of an overhaul of the federal statute defining the federal tax code. The health care system will become just another tax that we must pay.

This is my favorite tax so far:

SEC. 9017. EXCISE TAX ON ELECTIVE COSMETIC MEDICAL PROCEDURES.

(a) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle D of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended by this Act, is amended by adding at the end the following new chapter:

‘‘CHAPTER 49—ELECTIVE COSMETIC MEDICAL PROCEDURES

‘‘Sec. 5000B. Imposition of tax on elective cosmetic medical procedures.

‘‘SEC. 5000B. IMPOSITION OF TAX ON ELECTIVE COSMETIC

MEDICAL PROCEDURES.

‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—There is hereby imposed on any cosmetic surgery and medical procedure a tax equal to 5 percent of the amount paid for such procedure (determined without regard to this section), whether paid by insurance or otherwise.

‘‘(b) COSMETIC SURGERY AND MEDICAL PROCEDURE.—For purposes of this section, the term ‘cosmetic surgery and medical procedure’ means any cosmetic surgery (as defined in section 213(d)(9)(B)) or other similar procedure which—

‘‘(1) is performed by a licensed medical professional, and ‘‘(2) is not necessary to ameliorate a deformity arising from, or directly related to, a congenital abnormality, a personal injury resulting from an accident or trauma, or disfiguring disease.

‘‘(c) PAYMENT OF TAX.—

‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The tax imposed by this section shall be paid by the individual on whom the procedure is performed.

‘‘(2) COLLECTION.—Every person receiving a payment for procedures on which a tax is imposed under subsection (a) shall collect the amount of the tax from the individual on whom the procedure is performed and remit such tax quarterly to the Secretary at such time and in such manner as provided by the Secretary.

‘‘(3) SECONDARY LIABILITY.—Where any tax imposed by subsection (a) is not paid at the time payments for cosmetic surgery and medical procedures are made, then to the extent that such tax is not collected, such tax shall be paid by the person who performs the procedure.’’.

(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of chapters for subtitle D of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended by this Act, is amended by inserting after the

item relating to chapter 48 the following new item:

‘‘CHAPTER 49—ELECTIVE COSMETIC MEDICAL PROCEDURES’’.

(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by this section shall apply to procedures performed on or after January 1, 2010.

If this bill is signed by Christmas, it is a present that I am not looking forward to opening... EVER!

Love,

Monica

Another dear friend sent me an email. She said she doesn't agree with everything in the healthcare bill and that she knows the bill is political and partisan. But she thinks that if it doesn't pass this time, it will years before any healthcare reform is attempted again.