Saturday, February 14, 2009

Economic Stimulus Bill







Who will benefit most from the $787 billion Economic Stimulus Bill? The Health Care Industry is the likely candidate to benefit from the Economic Stimulus Package. Here's why. As an investor, speculator and observer of trends, if you consider the major players within the Health Care Industry that will benefit directly from the $787 billion Economic Stimulus Bill, you'll note that the Health care Industry and specifically the Medicaid Program are scheduled to get $87 billion and The National Institute of Health receiving $10 billion.

The Medicaid Program provides health insurance for the uninsured in the United States and The National Institute of Health does Biomedical Research. Keep in mind that the States administer the Medicaid Program that is funded by the Federal Government. Another consideration is, if you live in a state where the income per capita is considered high, the state is going to be contributing more to their Medicaid Program. If, you live in a state that has a low per capita income, then the Federal Government is going to be paying to that state more money to support the Medicaid Program. The higher per capita income a state has, the less money the Federal Government contributes to its Medicaid Program.

Within the Economic Stimulus Bill, there is a provision to give the states with high-unemployment; extra money based on their Medicaid benefits disbursements. That is, if the State has both high-unemployment and a large number of people on Medicaid, they will get extra money from the Federal Government for their Medicaid Program. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, December 2008 Report. States that have high-unemployment are Michigan, Rhode Island, California, South Carolina and Nevada. Each State has unemployment above 9%. The key is to find States that have high -unemployment, and among those States, large Medicaid benefits disbursements too! Then you will have located the States who are likely to benefit most from the Economic Stimulus Bill.

If, you are employed within the Health Care Industry, over the next few months you should see an uptick in patient enrollments, procedures and follow-up care. Among the numerous industries that are vying for a piece of the Economic Stimulus Package, the Health Care Industry has the most to gain. There will be something for to pacify more than a few people. For the individual tax payers, there is a $400 tax credit and will come out of the weekly paychecks, by way of less deductions. So count on about $8 extra in your paycheck. For the first-time home buyer, you can get a $8,000 tax credit, but only if you buy your house before the deadline, which is around December 2009. There is even a little something for the States, numerous infrastructure projects. All and all, it's a Economic Stimulus Package that may help the recently laid-off, by extending their unemployment benefits to 46 weeks and covers some of their Cobra medical insurance premiums, but for those who have been out of work for sometime and have exhausted or never qualified for unemployment benefits, it's a little too late. I have seen the disheveled looks of my neighbors whose property insurance have increased so high, that it seems like a second mortgage and like those who no longer have a home for various reasons, the Economic Stimulus Package is just a band aid on a hemorrhaging wound. It just another "pie in the sky" that is just outside the reach of our outstretched arms. Oh well, just another day in paradise and the living ain't easy!