Posted on 12/26/2017 10:51:24 PM PST by Oshkalaboomboom
Tax-reform legislation signed into law last week eliminates the federal penalty for not having health insurance, starting in 2019. That’s good news for those who’ve been buying ObamaCare to avoid the penalty, and even better news for those who’ve actually been paying the penalty.
But don’t start celebrating yet. In New York, California, Maryland, Connecticut, New Jersey and other deep-blue strongholds, the insurance industry and left-wing activists are agitating to enact state penalties to replace the soon-to-be defunct federal one.
Ouch! Six-and-a-half million filers paid the federal penalty last year, including approximately 400,000 right here in New York and 60,000 in neighboring Connecticut. The penalty-payers largely earned less than $50,000 a year. They paid the penalty because they found ObamaCare unaffordable.
But paying the penalty also hurt. It’s $695 or 2.5 percent of household income, whichever is more. Getting rid of that penalty will be a sizable tax break for them.
Tell that to insurance companies already lobbying in Albany, Sacramento, Hartford and other capitals for a state penalty. They’re looking out for their own interests. What could be sweeter than a law requiring consumers to buy their product or get whacked with a hefty fine if they refuse? State lawmakers need to hear from the public that doubling down on ObamaCare’s coercive model is a mistake.
Paul Macielak, president of the insurance lobby New York Health Plan Association, insists “New York’s individual market must be protected.” What he means is that without a penalty, many healthy people will say “no” to ObamaCare’s high premiums and drop out of those plans. How about protecting the millions who finally will get relief from the ObamaCare penalty?
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
California is saying that they are going to enact their own version of Obamacare complete with a penalty.
Well, stupid liberals, if you want to be enslaved, you damn sure will be.
Enjoy!
Now why insurers want to do that? I thought this whole Obamacare was sold to the people as sticking it to big insurance companies who are screwing over the average sick American? You mean to tell me that was all a big lie? And that Obamacare actually benefits big insurance companies? Clearly it does or they wouldn’t be fighting to get the penalty back in place.
Explain to me how insurance companies are supposed to make a decent profit if they have to cover pre-existing conditions?
Explain to me how anyone can still call it insurance if pre-existing conditions are covered? Can I buy home insurance after my house burns down or car insurance after it is stolen or run into?
In this case two wrongs may have to do. They don't make a right, but they make things a little for feasible.
The same thing will happen with insurance companies, especially if they are forced to cover pre-existing conditions and can't guarantee a certain number of healthy customers to cover all the sick ones.
Why don't we eliminate all fees, penalties and taxes while at the same time maintaining the world's finest military, repaving all the roads, reinforcing all the old bridges, building more dams, maintaining a decent court system and federal prison system, etc.
In my opinion, the country, the economy, the consumers, and those who provide goods and services all suffer when those who make money being the ‘people in the middle’ become the most expensive link in the chain. This is what has happened to health care (i.e. health insurers).
There was no reason to buy Ocare to avoid the mandate. The penalties were much less expensive than the insurance, i’m happy I got to pay the penalty for seven months of one year (2016).
It is Illegal to force anyone to buy anything.
>> New York: They paid the penalty because they found ObamaCare unaffordable.
The ACA is not only total crap, it’s extortion.
Since the ACA took effect, half a million self-employed New Yorkers ride the continuous shit-storm the Democrat Thug Party forced upon us.
>> Explain to me how insurance companies are supposed to make a decent profit if they have to cover pre-existing conditions?
The high cost of regulations precipitated the cost threat of pre-existing. And with the regulations, so followed the corruption that led to the continuing premium increases.
Pre-existing was never a factor for us since we’ve always had coverage. But if pre-existing is a necessary one-time concession, no doubt it’s far less costly than the unwieldy ACA monstrosity.
But aren’t you happier to avoid the mandate and not pay the penalty?
Remember, it was never intended to work. Only to force the US into single payer medical system.
Geez, just how much more can you folks take?
“Explain to me how insurance companies are supposed to make a decent profit if they have to cover pre-existing conditions?”
First, tell us what their profit margins are as compared to other businesses.
30Then go to Google Earth and go to coordinates of 30.254066N -81.545672W
Then tell me what kind of profit margin it takes to own that entire campus, dedicated to only 1 company and its Jacksonville location.
Because the part about them having to take the sick is still there. The whole thing falls apart if they can’t get the people who will not use it.
How blind can the Left be to not see how dumb politically this is? FORCING their residents to SUBSIDIZE INSURANCE COMPANIES?
That’s a 3 for 1 for us:
Makes living in those states even more expensive versus their cheaper breathren
Takes away a talking point for the Left about us being all for corporations
Keeps Obamacare stuck to the Dems, instead of letting it go away as a campaign issue
Thank you morons!
Until Obama and Govt. run health no individual was required to buy health insurance.
Sigh. Apparently taxpayers aren’t fleeing NYS fast enough. Losing one House seat after the 2020 census isn’t good enough. They wanna go for 2.
Under Obamacare, my son's insurance went from $133 a month to $467/mo, and was set to increase to $655 in January. We shopped around and found a less expensive policy, which the insurance company warned is not Obamacare compliant. We don't care. We only want certain coverage, without paying subsidies for other people's insurance.
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