Posted on 09/08/2009 3:13:24 PM PDT by Anti-Bubba182
WASHINGTON (AP) - Americans would be fined up to $3,800 for failing to buy health insurance under a plan that circulated in Congress on Tuesday as President Barack Obama met Democratic leaders to search for ways to salvage his health care overhaul.[snip]
......The fines pose a dilemma for Obama. As a candidate, the president campaigned hard against making health insurance a requirement, and fining people for not getting it.
"Punishing families who can't afford health care to begin with just doesn't make sense," he said during his party's primaries. At the time, he proposed mandatory insurance only for children............"
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.myway.com ...
Nothing else can happen with bad people in charge.
Fines aren’t new: the plan passed by Kennedy’s committee would:
“Require all individuals to have insurance that meets minimum coverage standards. Enforced through an excise tax equal to a percentage of the premium for the lowest cost option available through the Health Insurance Exchange in the area where the individual resides. Exemptions will
be granted for financial hardship; if the lowest cost plan option exceeds 10% of an individual’s income; and if the individual has income below 100% of the poverty level.”
http://www.kff.org/healthreform/upload/healthreform_sbs_full.pdf
In short, you’d be fined an amount equal to your share of the premium you would have had to pay had you gotten coverage through the Exchange, but this fine could not exceed 10% of your income.
Kennedy’s bill would “Provide refundable tax credits
to individuals and families with incomes between 100 and 400% FPL to purchase insurance through the Health Insurance
Exchange. The level of the premium tax credit could be set
as a percentage of income or as a percentage of the premium, with additional limits on cost-sharing.”
Thus, a family of 4 at $100K income (i.e. above 400% poverty) would face a premium cost of $15,000, but their fine would be capped at $10,000. It would be cheaper to go without coverage, but then again, you’d also have nothing to show for it. If you’re willing to pay $10K in fines, then it only costs you $5K extra to buy a policy valued at $15K. This is why the gang in DC assumes most will simply buy coverage rather than pay the fine etc.
Well said, succinctly put, that is the truth Anti-Bubba182.
I’ve been waiting on actually retiring until I could hit the age that would let me continue with my current insurance with the same payments I make (6 months from now).If they pass this insurance, I’m thinking of just retiring now, cashing out the retirement account in cash (stashing in the SB&T- Simmons[mattress]bank & trust) and then claiming I can’t afford healthcare....won’t have any actual income for about 2 years so I can qualify for a deadbeat....sheeeeetttttt....just might vote Democrat!!!!
Great news. Let them talk some more and continue crafting terms and conditions that are mandatory.
Just adds more people to our corner of the argument.
That is absurd! You shouldn’t have to! /s
Mandatory, huh?
What happened to choice? To options?
I know, I know. This is just the latest scheme to enlist “bi-partisanship,” under the guise of “cost savings.”
I don’t know whether I should laugh or cry.
How much would this be in Pesos, dear leader ?
The government will call it a “love offering” or “fellow countryman assistance plan” or some crap like that and the guilt-ridden liberal will suck it down. Pathetic.
There is no way to force mandates on the people in the Constitution. There are presently no mandates on the American people. We should protest loudly.
If dems think they're unpopular now - what with the Van Jones stuff - wait til they spring this one on "the people"....
Or to fine them because they don't have a gun.
There is no way to force mandates on the people in the Constitution. There are presently no mandates on the American people. We should protest loudly.
We’re protesting loudly now and the radicals just plod along with no fear while the press cheers them on.
What I’m not seeing is legal challenges and don’t know why.
I went to the Jackson Mi tea party today and I estimate that the crowd was 65 to 70% retirement age. I just cannot fathom what kind of idiocy is causing them to drive away the most rock solid block of sure thing voters there is.
Also, if it is a right how can they ration it for old people? Is it a right until you hit 50(or whatever age)and them suddenly becomes an elective? People don't think when they hear the clap trap liberals put out, if they would just engage their brains there wouldn't be enough liberals in this country to change a light bulb, let alone win an office.
bttt
We don’t want government healthcare anyway.
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