Suggestion: If you don't really know how the HCR bill works, or what it will do, READ here!

[FrenchieCat]

I've noticed that many folks would admit that they haven't read the HCR bill that just passed,
and don't truly yet know what the bill does or doesn't do.
They may have questions, and may be asking others.
the Problem is that those responding may themselves not know either,
and yet may take it upon themselves to answer queries as though they do.

For those interested in getting real answers,
and wanting to avoid getting uninformed answers,
it may be wise to request that the responder provides cites to the section in the bill
that applies, i.e., documenting their answers or at the very least,
provide a link that will give the answer to the question.

An example is that I have read some questions here about mandates,
and ended up reading responses from folks who answered,
but ended up giving the wrong answer.

Mandates do not go into effect until 2014.
Sec. 1002. Individual responsibility.
Modifies the assessment that individuals who choose to remain uninsured pay in three ways:
(a) exempts the income below the filing threshold,
(b) lowers the flat payment from $495 to $325 in 2015 and from $750 to $695 in 2016 and
(c) raises the percent of income that is an alternative payment amount from 0.5 to 1.0% in 2014,
1.0 to 2.0% in 2015, and 2.0 to 2.5% for 2016 and subsequent years to make the assessment more progressive.
http://www.rules.house.gov/111_hr4872_secbysec.html

There are exemptions and a sliding scale as to whom pays what,
if anything in the case of mandates.

In addition, any avoidance of payments of these mandates are not
a criminal violation (so one cannot go to jail), nor can one be levied
or/and a lien assessed on one's property.

The manner in which these mandates will be collected is via the tax filing process....
and one could also be eligible for tax credits for Insurance assistances through this manner
as well.
paraphrased from sec 6111- Civil MOney Penalties http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:h3590eas.txt.pdf


Anyone with questions in reference to the Health Care Insurance Bill,
can also direct those to this guy: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/03/a_bill_becomes_a_law.html

He seems to be quite informed.

Ezra Klein states:

What I ask of you is to send me your questions on the bill,
or leave them in the comment section. I won't be able to answer all of them.
But I'll do my best to answer the most common among them.
All posts will be filed under the category "Explaining health-care reform,"
so people can find them later. Let's begin.

I think you can trust him more than some random poster on the Internet
who may or may not have an agenda to fill or may have or most likely not
have read the bill.



I think it is very important that we educate ourselves on this bill, as we may have to answer questions ourselves when we go out there to fight to win a larger majority for 2010,
so that we can get even more of the changes that we still desperately need.

What we don't want is to inadvertently think we know the truth and then find out that we don't.

That's doesn't render a service to anyone....

PS. I am writing the WH a request that they put together an Insurance hotline,
and a Fight the Smears site, based on the finalized product ASAP...which I'm sure
they are doing anyways.

This will be warfare in reference to the 2010 election, and we need to win. :patriot:




and there is also this:

[NJmaverick]

1. K&R facts matter

[On the Road]

2. Thank You

and I think making penalties an IRS matter is preferable to making it a criminal matter.

However -- if a lower-income filer ends up owing taxes as a result of the uninsured provision, is that money collected the same as any other federal taxes due? The bill is much preferable to some other options, but I can see this as an issue for some working-class people.

[FrenchieCat]

3. Working Class folks who choose not to be insured and opt to pay the fine

would have earned enough to, I supposd, need to file a tax return.
I'm not sure how they get out of paying the fine if that is the case,
unless they choose not to file, which then makes them working class tax dodgers.
Just saying.

Remember that the fine is applied on a sliding scale based on income,
and may not be as high as advertised anyway for those who would literally
not have the capability to pay. Since lower wage earners are oftentimes
eligible for other tax credits, such as the earned income tax credit,
they may not feel the penalty in the way one migh imagine.

[ChicagoSuz219]

4. This is an outline of HCR...

http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:Od7_TKpHAYsJ:www.sgo.org/WorkArea/downloadasset.aspx%3Fid%3D3232+hcr+trust+fund+colonoscopy&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

It really is a pretty good bill. PLUS, it's supposed to create about 4 million jobs over the next 10 years!

[FrenchieCat]

5. I think a lot of people, including DUers here,

don't really know what is in this bill,
they only know what isn't in it.

That's not good enough anymore!

[ChicagoSuz219]

6. I was surprised it was as good as it was...

...after listening to all the pissing & moaning these last few weeks... from BOTH sides.

Some things that were NEVER mentioned:

Anti-trust status for insurance companies - GONE

4 million new jobs

FREE mammograms, pap smears, colonoscopies, etc. (if you have insurance = no co-pays or taken out of deductible)

They're gonna add Dental.

& more!

[FrenchieCat]

8. Amazing how being informed can help one see things differently.

[bigwillq]

7. K and R (nt)

[Blue_Roses]

9. bookmarked!

thanks Frenchie!:D

[FrenchieCat]

10. Welcome!

:hi: