Posted on 12/10/2009 5:08:06 PM PST by cornelis
Marriage Penalty Hidden in Health Care Reform
by Kim Trobee, editor
Higher premiums may discourage people from getting married.
A closer look at premium payments in both the House and Senate health care bills shows higher premiums that might discourage couples tying the knot.
For instance, in the House version, an unmarried couple each making $30,000 a year would pay $1,320 combined each year for private health insurance. If that couple chose to marry, their premium would jump to $12,000 a year, a difference of $10,680.
Allen Quist, a former Minnesota State legislator and current candidate for Congress, discovered the penalty while looking at numbers from the Committees on Ways and Means, Energy & Commerce, and Education & Labor.
"This extraordinary penalty people will pay, should they marry, extends all the way from a two-person combined income of $58,280 to $86,640, a spread of $28,360," he wrote in a blog post. "A large number of people fall within this spread. As premiums for private insurance escalate, as expected, the marriage penalty will become substantially larger."
The Senate bill includes a similar penalty.
"The Senate bill stipulates that two unmarried people, 52 years of age, with private insurance and a combined income of $60,000, $30,000 each, will pay a combined cost of $2,483 for medical insurance," Quist wrote. "Should they marry, however, they will pay a combined cost of $11,666 for insurance — a penalty of $9,183 for getting married."
The numbers are based on the government's definition of "poverty level." Those above poverty level will pay higher premiums, and the excess would be redistributed to those in lower income levels.
Quist explains that the government's definitions will play a critical role in whether people will choose to get married.
"'Household' is defined in both bills as including those who can be claimed as dependents for federal income tax purposes, thereby clarifying that adults can avoid the marriage penalty by living together unmarried," he wrote. "The new system provides a huge incentive for doing so."
John Helmberger, CEO of the Minnesota Family Council and Institute, said the middle class will once again take the hit financially.
"This hidden marriage penalty," he said, "hits hardest the very people that are most suffering from the pathologies resulting from the decline of marriage in our culture."
At this point, my wife would probably divorce me for 10 grand.
So wifey and I should divorce and just live together.
Pure evil.
Do you know why divorces are so expensive?
I would think that married couples have fewer health issues, than singles.
Specially single guys, they just don’t take good care of themselves, generally speaking.
For ten grand a year, my wife and I would divorce as well. I think we should rebel by not registering our babies into the system. I suggested it last year and was poo poo’ed. Is it looking moor attractive yet?
If this crap passes, there is going to be a revolt ... they have no fricking idea ...
Would you be able to claim any dependents? You would have to stay outside of the law and never let them in a public institutions—you couldn’t exercise any parental authority, legally.
Some homeschoolers have been doing that since the ‘80’s.
I thought about it, but hubby rejected it.
Not sure if we would divorce, I wonder if they will come after people anyway. If you don’t separate, I bet they would come after people for penalty’s.
This crap is getting scary.
This crap is getting scary.
::::::
It is worse than just scary — it is based on a very evil and oppressive Marxist and totalitarian mentality. It should start becoming clear to even the most passive of people, that this so-called “health plan” has NOTHING TO DO with health care.
The revolt is long over due!
When you add up what this Bozo and his ass clown friends are up to, pay back is coming!
I know, I know!!
But, 10x the rate of singles? What else is in this bill to destroy America? WHAT ELSE?
Even the Republicans don’t have the spine to tell the US citizen what’s up with this bill.
Traitors, all of them!!!
Oh, it’s 10k a year,...
This thing better not pass ~ and this country had better make some big changes next election cycle.
Had not given it much thought.
Why?
And the worst of it will come from that big chunk of struggling two-income households who all along have thought that they'd be the ones to benefit by soaking the "rich." When a couple making $30K each discovers this scam, there'll be hell to pay.
The good news is, it could help with unemployment, as many couples do the math and decide it makes no sense for one of the spouses to work for 15K/yr, with most of that going to childcare. The dems may inadvertently be ushering in a new era of stay at home moms (or dads.)
Heh. I was really pissed when in Washington they passed the “everything but marriage” act last month. (Benefits, wills, visitation, retirement, etc.)
But NOW I’m pretty glad that....oh wait. Its only for gays and folks over 65 years old. Okay, now I’m REALLY pissed.
BECAUSE THEY ARE WORTH IT!
We are slightly - not much - above this in combined income. I shudder to think of what would be in store for us
Wow. Massive penalties.
Someone needs to dig a little deeper and find out if there are similar penalties for “same-sex marriages.”
Of course you would. You would have to trade off every other year or allocate which parent got the deduction and I'd personally make sure that all childcare expenses were paid by that parent as well.
Come to think of it, if mom doesn't make much $$ she claims EITC, child care deductions, gets the $$ under the table from non-state hubbie and then goes on welfare and WIC .... much as I hate to say it playing by the rules these days is a losing proposition and the faster we snake the system the faster it crashes.
My thought exactly. If same sex couples don’t get some sort of exemption, then this will be the end of gay marriage. How ironic, the Left killing gay marriages that they support.
bttt
Specially single guys, they just don’t take good care of themselves, generally speaking.
I agree with that. I am not sure why they don’t but really should.
Wow... thanks for finding this one, Baynative!
Which is EXACTLY why it will never, ever happen. The American public is way too accepting, way too passive, way too ready for the next guy to lead off.
You first.
America -- a great idea, didn't last.
Lawyers!
“I would think that married couples have fewer health issues, than singles.”
That’s just what this evil plan is about. Those who live a health life style will be paying for those who live the risky way of life. What is up is down, the O change.
Yes why aren’t the Republicans all over the place on this. If some of them got on Beck or Hannity and started explaining this, trust me the word would get out. Look at Van Jones & Anita Dunn, the MSM ignored the story but word got out anyway via Fox. Some of the talk shows are big enough to cut through the MSM, and those are usually the ones Bam Bam seems to have a problem with.
There you go. Solution.
The mother could.
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