From the AP:
Americans who refuse to buy affordable medical coverage could be hit with fines of more than $1,000 under a health care overhaul bill unveiled Thursday by key Senate Democrats looking to fulfill President Obama's top domestic priority.
The Congressional Budget Office estimated the fines will raise around $36 billion over 10 years. Senate aides said the penalties would be modeled on the approach taken by Massachusetts, which now imposes a fine of about $1,000 a year on individuals who refuse to get coverage. Under the federal legislation, families would pay higher penalties than individuals.
How do you like that? If you don't want insurance you will get fined. Almost as funny is that these fines will be collected through the income tax system.
The bill also wants to whack companies for not offering insurance:
The Senate Health Education, Labor and Pensions bill also calls for a government-run insurance option to compete with private plans as well as a $750-per-worker annual fee on larger companies that do not offer coverage to employees.
I wonder what the definition of a "larger company" is?
Back to the $1000 fine though. So if I choose not to subsidize someone else's insurance I have to pay a tax. Isn't that just nice of them. The irony is that the $1000 will certainly be cheaper than buying insurance in the first place, so it would be curious to see how many Americans choose the tax over the insurance.
Comments
back... USSR... criminals rule.
How can you pay a fine if you have no job and no money? Is uncle government going to start a "cash for fines" program too?
There is an exemption for low-income people. Read about it before you bitch about it.
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