Penalty Could Exceed $900 For Refusing To Get Insurance Under Massachusetts Mandatory Healthcare Law

[Purveyor]

Penalties for Massachusetts residents who can afford health insurance but do not purchase it in 2008 could quadruple compared with the maximum penalty in 2007, according to draft regulations released by the Department of Revenue yesterday.

more stories like thisThe maximum penalty for those who flout the law and do not buy health insurance would be $912 a year, compared to $219 in 2007.

The higher penalty is intended to get those who are on the fence to buy health insurance. For those wavering, it could make more sense to pay for insurance than to pay the penalty.

The proposed penalties also drive home the full impact of the health reform law's personal mandate principle. This approach makes buying health insurance a responsibility of all residents, similar to the way drivers are required to purchase auto insurance. The penalty was enacted to spur residents to purchase insurance rather than rely on the care hospitals are still required to provide to patients regardless of coverage or ability to pay.

"We have worked hard to craft these penalties in a manner that is straightforward and easy to understand," said revenue commissioner Henry Dormitzer in a statement. "We hope they will encourage people who can afford health insurance to buy it."

---EOE---

http://www.boston.com/business/globe/articles/2008/01/01/penalties_to_rise_for_shunning_insurance/

[MichiganVote]

1. What utter bullshit....

[TechBear_Seattle]

2. So those who cannot afford insurance to begin with get screwed by the govt, too

Ridiculous. :mad:

[malaise]

3. What happens if the insurance company refuses

to insure someone?

[Sanctified]

4. I would move out of that state so quick it would make your head spin.

Who the fuck wants to live where they are required to give money to a private company or face a fine.

[SoCalDem]

5. I'll repost this in answer to that gem of information

Find the "extra" money in this budget:eyes:
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/SoCalDem/61

A single mom with one child can live easily on $10 an hour
Posted by SoCalDem in General Discussion
Wed Mar 21st 2007, 05:09 PM

IF they can both eat on $2.88 a month and no one gets sick...or the car does not break down..and she drives with no car insurance..and the kid never outgrows clothing or shoes





Read entry | Discuss (208 comments) | Remove from Journal | Add/Edit intro

[ThePowerofWill]

7. That budget sucks.

Rent $500? Where the hills? Hell i live in the hills and there is no $500 rent, or $30 electric bills, or $50 daycare.

I do assume you shaved the numbers as close as possible, hoping others would assume you did so, thus illustrating your point about what $10 and hr gets you. In my state even at the meager rate of $10hr you would fall between the cracks. Too much money for Medicaid, yet can't afford to buy insurance. It's very hard for folks on the bottom. I know i came from there.

On a parting note. Ya know mandatory car insurance does not work out very well either. Most working poor have it sometimes if they have they money to pay, sometimes they drive without often. Driving without just leads to an accident they can't afford, or a ticket they can't afford either, and suspension of tag. Which again leads to driving on a false tag, yadda, yadda, rinse repeat. Hard times are like a snowball rolling down hill, one layer of trouble just rolls into another.

[SoCalDem]

8. Yes. I deliberately made the costs Low-Low..just to emphasize

that even with a "sweetheart deal" for rent & child care, she could still not "make it".Click the link to see others' input on figures for rents & other costs around the country..
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x468622
and yes I know she would have qualified for the EMT, in April, but most poor people need to eat year round..not just after tax-time :evilgrin:

even added a husband to the mix and the budget is still toxic..

SoCalDem Donating Member (1000+ posts) your Ignore list Wed Mar-21-07 04:32 PM


Response to Original message

32. Add a dad to the mix (also making $10 an hour)



2165.76

-900 more reaslistic rent for 3
-240 additional gasoline
-50 phone
-75 electric
-50 gas
-30 water


-300 extra car payment
-300 more realistic day care
220.76 "left" over to feed 3 people and maybe buy car insurance for the two cars..

[elehhhhna]

6. lmao-- belongs in The Onion, really.