Is a $2,300 tax credit the answer?

There are a lot of passionate opinions regarding health-care reform. There are many people who have been unable to get health insurance because of pre-existing conditions and/or inability to pay the costs of the premiums. Many of these people suffer tremendously due to chronic or long-term illness. Many of them end up having to declare bankruptcy due to the huge debt that they have accumulated for medical bills. I would like to ask a question of all interested parties:

Does anybody out there think that a $2,300 annual tax credit is the answer for these folks? Do you think, if a person has a pre-existing condition, that $2,300 is going to be a drop in the bucket regarding the premiums they will have to pay to an insurance company?

And what if they are unable to work due to their medical condition yet don't qualify for Medicaid because they have savings? A tax credit doesn't help when you have no income. What then?

Would you be able to look somebody in the eyes and tell them that they should spend all of their life's savings to pay medical bills so that they can then qualify for Medicaid? Or declare bankruptcy when they are already suffering from a chronic, possibly life-threatening illness?

Sandra Fliegelman

Lombard