An honest quesiton about the health care bill...

[Danger Mouse]

...a lot of you guys and gals have been researching and reading about this a lot more than I have, so I would appreciate any input you can provide.

From what I've read, the health care bill imposes a tax penalty for those who don't get health insurance. People who don't pay that tax penalty are subject to civil or criminal penalties. What if somebody simply can't afford health insurance due to unemployment or low wages? How will they be able to pay the tax penalty, too? This is the part that bothers me the most.

If you have good information about this that will explain to me how this works, that would be very helpful. Thanks! :hi:

[mmonk]

1. I'm interested in the responses.

Thanks for posting.

[bigtree]

2. I've been talked around this point so many times

. . . and berated for asking, as well.

[Danger Mouse]

4. I understand the part about the tax penalty...

I do not understand how one is expected to pay it. :shrug:

[bigtree]

7. and what happens

. . . when you can't and don't.

[babylonsister]

3. "Provides federal financial help for lower and middle income consumers so they can obtain coverage"

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/politics/story/78519.html

10 ways the House bill would change health care

By David Lightman | McClatchy Newspapers


WASHINGTON — These are some of the changes in the way health insurance would work in the United States if the House bill were to become law:

1. Creates a government-run plan, or "public option," to offer insurance coverage to compete with private sector insurance companies.

2. Sets up health insurance "exchanges," or marketplaces, where consumers can easily compare coverage and rates.

3. Requires nearly everyone to obtain health insurance coverage starting in 2013.

4. Requires health plans to allow young adults to remain on their parents' policies till their 27th birthday

5. Provides federal financial help for lower and middle income consumers so they can obtain coverage.

6. Bars insurers from denying or limiting coverage because of pre-existing conditions.

7. Bars insurers from imposing lifetime limits on coverage.

8. Expands Medicaid coverage to more people.

9. Imposes a 5.4 percent surcharge on adjusted gross incomes of more than $500,000 for individuals and $1 million for joint filers.

10. Imposes penalties on people and businesses who fail to comply with the new law.

[bigtree]

6. so you assume that should be enough

but the 'assistance' doesn't make the health insurance free and we're REQUIRED to have some. I can't afford to pay my bills now. What will I have to give up to afford this? What happens when I can't afford it, even with the subsidies promised? The bill says that it will be assessed to my taxes. What happens when I can't afford my higher taxes?

[babylonsister]

8. Write your congresscritter, because I don't have the answers.

Oh, and I'm in the same boat or worse; I don't even have a job. But I don't know what the future will hold or how this will shake out, so I'm not about to bash something I know nothing about. There's enough of that going on around here as it is.

[mmonk]

9. Who determines how much that help will be?

The expansion of medicaid will help but those that aren't broke enough to qualify but don't make enough to always keep the premiums with their annual increases met would probably like a better idea of what that might be.

[babylonsister]

12. I have no idea at this point. I haven't read the bill, so don't know

what the details are. Sorry.

[mmonk]

15. No problem.

[panader0]

5. I'd like to know the answer to that too

I can't afford any other payments. I thought there was a level that if you made less than a certain amount, you got a subsidy. Why does the Bill have to be so complicated? (1900 pages ?)

[Coyote_Bandit]

10. Shhhhhhhhhh........

Don't you know?

Didn't somebody let you in on the big secret?

It isn't really important whether or not we give the uninsured/underinsured meaningful affordable access to healthcare. It isn't important whether or not we actualy put some of these folks in a WORSE position. All that is important is that we can say we frickin won. We passed legislation to enact "healthcare reform". Nevermind the fact that it really wasn't anything more than INSURANCE reform. But what the hell. We can now point fingers at those who opposed our efforts. Nevermind the fact that we never really made the effort to enact meaningful healthcare reform. Hell, we can't even pretend our choices were informed because we refused to even consider most of the evidence regarding the viability of a single payer system.

This so-called "reform" will eventually prove itself to a clusterfuck of a failure. Those who could have fought for something better and didn't are indeed deserving of that legacy.

[Barack_America]

11. What about anyone who can't afford to pay their taxes?

Consequences for not paying one's taxes is hardly new.

That's what I don't get about so many people asking this question. It seems to me that a lot of people are foolishly falling for a GOP scare tactic.

Like regular taxes, I imagine there is a lot of room between late payment penalties and prison. The $250,000 fine and jail time will likely be reserved for the biggest of dodgers, people like Leona Helms. But if anyone is going to be possibly subjected to it, the maximum penalty has to be explicitly stated.

[bigtree]

13. It's still a burden on those caught between what the government says they should afford

and what their individual circumstances are.

What if they say I'm not poor enough to get help? This is an amazing imposition with a lot of folks making the incredible assumption for me that I can just jump right in and start a new expense while my income is falling.

[Barack_America]

14. All taxes are.

I don't think my husband and I really make enough money to fall into the 0.25% income tax bracket, especially considering we live in a high cost of living area and are helping to support my out-of-work mother with no unemployment benefits.

But the govt. says we do and so that's that. We use the services, so we'll pay.

After all, paying our taxes is more important than new clothes and toys. I'll tell you, I'd personally feel much better about writing a check towards my own health insurance than the checks I currently write to the Pentagon.

[hansberrym]

16. The answer: tough shit, pursuit of happiness is in the Declaration, not the Constitution. :)

Under our Constitution, as interpreted by clearly superior minds, happiness is defined and procured for us by our elected representitives. You no longer have the chore of deciding such vexing questions such as how much insurance to carry. Under the General Welfare and Commerce Clauses you can and will be forced to pay taxes for every damn thing Congress deems to be good for you.


Related questions:

How the fuck can Congress pay for this?
See previous answer. A combination of paper dollars with absolutely no backing, clever accounting, and confiscatory taxes will do the trick. Do not trouble yourself with such details, your representatives in Congress have this covered!


Is our government spending sustainable?
The USA is the wealthiest nation on earth. Why California alone, were it a country unto itself, would have a GDP rivaling the richest nations of the world!


Isn't there a very real danger that California will soon be insolvent?
Really, you ask silly questions, that is simply impossible with such good men and women running that magnificent state. Why California alone, were it a country unto itself, would have a GDP rivaling the richest nations of the world!


Have a nice day!

Your Nanny State FAQ service provider

[berni_mccoy]

17. The poor are subsidized. If you lose your job, you become eligile for the Exchange

as an individual and can enroll in the PO. If you can't afford it, you will receive subsidies.