Letter: Canceling Burbank Leader subscription is poor taste

I find myself amused that people want to cancel their newspaper subscription based upon a one editorial. We live in a free society where open and free discussions are supposed to rule the land.

Perhaps those that want to cancel their daily paper are not too interested with facts to begin with. So let us throw a few out there. The Affordable Care Act allows for better preventive health care. Insurance plans available under the plan offer a variety of free screenings and vaccinations, including flu shots. It also allows coverage for young people up to age 26, helping those just getting started. The act also has no lifetime maximum benefits. People who don’t have health insurance now can get it. Even Jesus would vote for this act.

We owe it to ourselves to better the community. But if this is not enough, it provides the higher taxes, lower deductions clause. Americans who don’t pay for insurance and don’t qualify for Medicaid will be assessed a tax of $95 (or 1% of income, whichever is higher) in 2014. The tax will increase substantially to $325 (or 2% of income) in 2015, and $695 (or 2.5% of income) in 2016. Individuals with annual incomes above $200,000 and couples with incomes above $250,000 will pay higher taxes to help cover costs of the program. And, in 2014, families can only deduct medical expenses that exceed 10% of income, rather than today’s 7.5% of income. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the ACA will reduce the national budget deficit by $143 billion by 2019 because of its associated taxes and fees.

Because the act makes sure 95% of our citizens have health insurance, preventive healthcare will be more accessible. The newly insured will no longer have to wait until their ailments become so extreme that they are forced to visit the hospital emergency room, a more costly care avenue. Whether you agree or not with the ACA, dropping a newspaper because the editorial board opted to do the human thing and support the law is simply in poor taste — and health.

David D. Diamond
Burbank