Pardon the rant, but I am simply incredulous that the health insurance “reform” bill pushed by Obama and passed by the Democrats adds taxes for the sick, disabled, poor and middle class - and of course, diabetics on insulin pumps and using CGMS systems. Some of you Obama fans may reflexively disagree and I’m sure I’ll hear no end of it here, but color me outraged.
Flexible Spending Accounts are often used by people who make middle class money, as long as they make enough to pay any taxes at all and have medical needs to pay for. Reducing the amount of FSAs to less than half of the current limit means that the sick and disabled who rely on them the most will end up paying more taxes! Even sick and disabled people and families making lower middle class incomes! And on top of that, they added a brand spanking new tax to medical devices, which will of course be passed right through to the consumers of those devices - diabetics and other people who are sick and disabled! Poor and middle class included! I use my FSA to help pay for pumping and CGMS supplies, and am well under the income levels Obama said he would not support new taxes on, and I am apoplectic that I have become the target to pay for their so called reform.
In spite of his oft repeated promise not to increase taxes on people making under $250k, Obama and the Democrats are trying to do just that in this bill, and in fact reaching MUCH, MUCH lower, right below the belt. In fact, they are taxing those members of the lower and middle class who are the sickest and/or disabled in order to pay for this huge new new bureaucracy. And the readers of this board are right on the front lines - this tax will directly affect many of you, as the costs of pumping and CGM use will no doubt rise in at least direct proportion to the new tax on these systems, if not substantially more.
I think I’m going to be sick right now.