ONLY THE TSA WOULD WORK ON THEIR WEB SITE WHEN PEOPLE USE IT THE MOST

And we want the government to run health care. Come on, what are they thinking?

I was amazed last week that during one of the busiest times of the year for travel the TSA's web site that lists the historical wait times of airport security lines in airports was “under construction” and not available for travelers. Many people use this web site during the busy holiday season to see how long the wait times are at major airports to clear security checkpoints.

This site (when it is up and working) shows all the security checkpoint wait times throughout the day. This helps people plan on how early they need to arrive at the airport to make their flight. When they do finally get the site back in working order I suggest you try it: http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/waittime.shtm.

MORE ON HEALTHCARE REFORM

A few days ago I sent out an email informing you that you may be in danger of losing your cafeteria/flex spending account. If you missed this email you can find it on the right side of our blog by clicking on Section 125 Accounts In Danger Again.

Well, that's not all. The Senate Finance Committee has proposed several options for funding healthcare reform. One of the options is to cap or eliminate the employer group health tax exclusion.

Currently, healthcare premiums and contributions (paid by you and your employer) are taken from your paycheck before taxes are deducted. If these health benefits are taxed, it's estimated you will lose between 9 and 14 percent of your take-home pay, depending on your household income and tax situation.

Here's what the opponents are saying...

Proposed healthcare reform impacts you!
The U.S. Congress is moving rapidly to create new healthcare legislation that could have a dramatic impact on your take-home pay.

The government needs to fund health insurance for 48 million uninsured Americans.
You don't currently pay taxes on your health insurance, dental, or vision premiums. You don't pay taxes on your flexible spending account (FSA) and health reimbursement arrangement (HRA) contributions. Congress is considering taxing these benefits.

Why should you care about taxing health benefits?
Taxing these benefits will have a direct, negative impact on your paycheck! Whether you're single or have a family, your take-home pay will decrease.

If Congress votes to tax benefits provided by your employer...
You will pay more for healthcare out of your own pocket. It will reduce your take-home pay, increase your taxes - and individuals and families who use FSAs and HRAs will be penalized even more.

Taxing health benefits provided by employers would affect millions of hard-working Americans:

• Employers will have less money to provide healthcare coverage to their employees.


• Some industry experts predict employers may reduce or eliminate employee health insurance as a result.


• Employees will pay more taxes and bring home less pay.

ARE YOU READY FOR SOCIALIZED MEDICINE?

It was an honor for me to be selected by Nebraska Senator Mike Johanns to be part of an eight-member round table health care reform. There were seven other individuals on the panel representing various aspects of the health care industry. I was on the panel to speak for small business.

According to Senator Johanns, if you don’t want socialized medicine, you better be contacting your congressman to register your opposition. You must do this quickly; it appears that the current administration is hell bent on getting this passed by August 8. It seems like they want to run this through without the public knowing the details. It also seems that is the modus operandi of this administration. “Trust me!”

All of us on the panel realized that the health care issue needs to be solved. The problem is that the issue has been around for a long time. Why is it necessary to push legislation through that would essentially put everyone under a Medicare type program?

There are certainly two sides to this issue. In my comments to Senator Johanns I concluded with the statement that, “there is really no right answer...just a lesser wrong answer to the health care problem.”

I will keep you informed.

Larry Kopsa CPA

IDEAS ON HEALTHCARE REFORM

Just in case you missed it, Senator Johanns of Nebraska has requested that I sit on a panel to inform him of small business challenges as it relates to health care reform. I am gathering information for my presentation. I welcome any ideas that you have on this issue. If you could email me your thoughts, I would certainly appreciate it. lkopsa@kopsaotte.com

Larry Kopsa

IDEAS ON HEALTHCARE REFORM

I am honored that Senator Johanns of Nebraska has requested that I sit on a panel to inform him of small business challenges as it relates to health care reform. I am gathering information for my presentation. I welcome any ideas that you have on this issue. If you could email me your thoughts, I would certainly appreciate it. lkopsa@kopsaotte.com

Larry Kopsa

DEAR PRESIDENT ELECT OBAMA,

Taxing small business will not fix the healthcare crisis.

When it comes to addressing the nation's healthcare crisis, there is a right way and a wrong way to implement change. Unfortunately, many public officials think the easiest way to reduce the number of uninsured Americans is to require employers to contribute toward their employees' healthcare costs. These types of proposals are often referred to as employer-responsibility initiatives or "pay or play" legislation.

As small business owners struggle to stay afloat during difficult economic times, it's unfortunate that some elected officials choose to burden our nation's job creators with more costs they likely can't afford. The reality is that these types of proposals, which set a dangerous example are gaining support in statehouses, cities and courthouses across the country.

HERE IS WHAT'S HAPPENED IN SAN FRANCISCO

Recently, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of San Francisco's healthcare security ordinance, which requires employers with 20-99 employees to pay $1.17 per hour per employee for healthcare costs. Employers with 100 or more employees must pay $1.76 per hour per employee. These rates will increase in January 2009 to $1.23 and $1.85 respectively, and will continue to increase annually.

Employer healthcare payments can be made either to the employee through at traditional employer-sponsored plan, directly to employees as reimbursements for healthcare costs or to the city to fund its Health Access Program.