If You Blinked, You May Have Missed What Congress Just Passed | Michael D. Tanner | Cato Institute: Commentary

If You Blinked, You May Have Missed What Congress Just Passed | Michael D. Tanner | Cato Institute: Commentary: "In fact, the congressional Budget Office predicts that, despite passage of this bill, insurance premiums will double in the next few years. Worse, for the millions of Americans who get their insurance through the individual market, rather than from an employer, this bill will raise premiums by 10-13 percent more because of this bill.

Nor will we have achieved universal insurance coverage. It is predicted that the bill will eventually result in some 32 million more Americans becoming insured (still leaving some 21 million uninsured). But that wouldn't be achieved until at least 2019."

"Democrats did manage to frontload the bill with some changes that will take effect within the next few months, and are likely to prove popular. For example, the federal government will mail a $250 check to every senior in America. Now that may not have much to do with health care reform, but after all, there is an election coming up.

Beyond that, parents will be able to keep their children on their family insurance plan until those children reach age 26. Of course, that will not be free. Parents who do so can expect to pay higher premiums."

Kitty Rhodes - March 26

March 26: "Supporters of the provision claim that Congress has the authority to mandate insurance because of the Commerce Clause in the Constitution. This is a very interesting argument due to the nature of the people who are being regulated. People who do not purchase health insurance are by definition not engaging in commerce. If someone is not engaging in commerce, the question becomes 'how can the federal government regulate it as commerce?'"

"if an adult child is added to a parents health insurance policy and is not a dependent, the health care benefits that child receives are considered taxable at the fair market value."