Author Topic: Massachusetts ups fine for skipping [health] insurance  (Read 30204 times)

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Offline CactusCarlos

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Massachusetts ups fine for skipping [health] insurance
« on: December 31, 2010, 01:08:21 PM »
Quote
The state Department of Revenue plans to hike the 2011 penalty by about 9 percent for residents who are able to afford health insurance but fail to buy it.

Taxpayers ages 18 to 26 whose income exceeds $32,496 will see the penalty increase to $864, up from $792. For those ages 27 and older whose income exceeds $32,496, the penalty will rise to $1,212 annually, up from $1,116.

The fee, adjusted annually, doubles if two parents are in the family.

The state’s landmark Health Care Reform Act of 2006 requires most adults 18 and over with access to affordable insurance to obtain it, and requires the DOR to collect a penalty for taxpayers who do not comply.

There are no changes for those making less than three times the poverty level.

http://bostonherald.com/jobfind/news/healthcare/view/20101230uninsured_in_mass_face_higher_penalties_in_2011/srvc=home&position=also
"The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism, but under the name of liberalism they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program until one day America will be a socialist nation without ever knowing how it happened."
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Offline true_blood

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Re: Massachusetts ups fine for skipping [health] insurance
« Reply #1 on: December 31, 2010, 02:18:52 PM »
Welcome to my hometown. The land of the liberals. (Not proud of it, by the way.)
When will the dolts learn what is going on? We already have that awesome "socialized" health care here. Hospitals are laying off workers and are going broke. And, if you don't have health insurance, you pay a "penalty". Gotta love it.::) :whatever:

Offline JohnnyReb

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Re: Massachusetts ups fine for skipping [health] insurance
« Reply #2 on: December 31, 2010, 02:31:03 PM »
Welcome to my hometown. The land of the liberals. (Not proud of it, by the way.)
When will the dolts learn what is going on? We already have that awesome "socialized" health care here. Hospitals are laying off workers and are going broke. And, if you don't have health insurance, you pay a "penalty". Gotta love it.::) :whatever:

So, does that penalty get me state healthcare or just another bill in the mail?
“The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism. But, under the name of ‘liberalism’, they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program, until one day America will be a socialist nation, without knowing how it happened.” - Norman Thomas, U.S. Socialist Party presidential candidate 1940, 1944 and 1948

"America is like a healthy body and its resistance is threefold: its patriotism, its morality, and its spiritual life. If we can undermine these three areas, America will collapse from within."  Stalin

Offline formerlurker

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Re: Massachusetts ups fine for skipping [health] insurance
« Reply #3 on: December 31, 2010, 02:44:41 PM »
So, does that penalty get me state healthcare or just another bill in the mail?

It is just another bill.  You have to submit proof of insurance when you file your taxes.    Nasty business.    We have insurance for life as my husband is retired military, but this is one of the aspects of this plan that was just ill-advised.   

Offline true_blood

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Re: Massachusetts ups fine for skipping [health] insurance
« Reply #4 on: December 31, 2010, 04:08:20 PM »
So, does that penalty get me state healthcare or just another bill in the mail?
What former lurker said. If you pay the penalty, you don't get the health insurance. I'm not sure if they send you a bill or if they just deduct it from your tax refund.

Offline rich_t

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Re: Massachusetts ups fine for skipping [health] insurance
« Reply #5 on: December 31, 2010, 05:02:25 PM »
And some folks wanted Romney for President.  Didn't he sign that BS into law there?
"The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism. But, under the name of 'liberalism,' they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program, until one day America will be a socialist nation, without knowing how it happened." --Norman Thomas, 1944

Offline formerlurker

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Re: Massachusetts ups fine for skipping [health] insurance
« Reply #6 on: December 31, 2010, 06:48:11 PM »
And some folks wanted Romney for President.  Didn't he sign that BS into law there?

It was his brainstorm, but the super super super majority of democrats in the statehouse fine tuned it to the point of destroying it. 

The short of it was we were paying close to a $1 billion a year bailing hospitals out for the free care they were forced to give uninsured patients.    Those costs were spiraling out of control.    Romney's idea was to instead of writing a blank check for free care, why don't we instead use those funds to subsidize private insurance premiums (through a consortium of private carriers that the state set up) so they can get insurance.   The insurance industry balked because they did not want to insure this high risk pool.   Romney worked it out with carriers that he would remove some very costly mandates so carriers could offer very competitive and cheap policies, with no hit to their forever decreasing profit margin as those costly mandates for all policies in the state would be removed.

Well that was the plan.   The statehouse got a hold of it and tweaked it a bit - not so much that Romney wouldn't still support it, although he tried to veto many aspects of it.    It passed, Romney leaves, enter Deval and the rest is history.   It's a mess now.   Definitely nothing that should be referred to as Romneycare because it has no resemblance to what he initially proposed or supported.


Offline MrsSmith

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Re: Massachusetts ups fine for skipping [health] insurance
« Reply #7 on: January 01, 2011, 08:12:25 AM »
It was his brainstorm, but the super super super majority of democrats in the statehouse fine tuned it to the point of destroying it. 

The short of it was we were paying close to a $1 billion a year bailing hospitals out for the free care they were forced to give uninsured patients.    Those costs were spiraling out of control.    Romney's idea was to instead of writing a blank check for free care, why don't we instead use those funds to subsidize private insurance premiums (through a consortium of private carriers that the state set up) so they can get insurance.   The insurance industry balked because they did not want to insure this high risk pool.   Romney worked it out with carriers that he would remove some very costly mandates so carriers could offer very competitive and cheap policies, with no hit to their forever decreasing profit margin as those costly mandates for all policies in the state would be removed.

Well that was the plan.   The statehouse got a hold of it and tweaked it a bit - not so much that Romney wouldn't still support it, although he tried to veto many aspects of it.    It passed, Romney leaves, enter Deval and the rest is history.   It's a mess now.   Definitely nothing that should be referred to as Romneycare because it has no resemblance to what he initially proposed or supported.


Serious?  Well, that's good to know.  I'd never looked into it, and this was definitely one of the main reasons I didn't like Romney.  I would have to wonder if he's learned his lesson, though...that even the best ideas will be twisted and snarled by the next admin....
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Offline formerlurker

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Re: Massachusetts ups fine for skipping [health] insurance
« Reply #8 on: January 01, 2011, 08:31:39 AM »
Serious?  Well, that's good to know.  I'd never looked into it, and this was definitely one of the main reasons I didn't like Romney.  I would have to wonder if he's learned his lesson, though...that even the best ideas will be twisted and snarled by the next admin....

Very true.

Offline zeitgeist

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Re: Massachusetts ups fine for skipping [health] insurance
« Reply #9 on: January 02, 2011, 04:53:16 PM »
It was his brainstorm, but the super super super majority of democrats in the statehouse fine tuned it to the point of destroying it. 

The short of it was we were paying close to a $1 billion a year bailing hospitals out for the free care they were forced to give uninsured patients.    Those costs were spiraling out of control.    Romney's idea was to instead of writing a blank check for free care, why don't we instead use those funds to subsidize private insurance premiums (through a consortium of private carriers that the state set up) so they can get insurance.   The insurance industry balked because they did not want to insure this high risk pool.   Romney worked it out with carriers that he would remove some very costly mandates so carriers could offer very competitive and cheap policies, with no hit to their forever decreasing profit margin as those costly mandates for all policies in the state would be removed.

Well that was the plan.   The statehouse got a hold of it and tweaked it a bit - not so much that Romney wouldn't still support it, although he tried to veto many aspects of it.    It passed, Romney leaves, enter Deval and the rest is history.   It's a mess now.   Definitely nothing that should be referred to as Romneycare because it has no resemblance to what he initially proposed or supported.



And why were there so many uninsured dare I ask?  Were any of them illegals? 

And lest we forget Romney is a Morman who once drove with his dog in a carrier a top his car.    :tongue:
< watch this space for coming distractions >

Offline formerlurker

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Re: Massachusetts ups fine for skipping [health] insurance
« Reply #10 on: January 02, 2011, 05:17:57 PM »
And why were there so many uninsured dare I ask?  Were any of them illegals? 

And lest we forget Romney is a Morman who once drove with his dog in a carrier a top his car.    :tongue:

Actually many of them were illegals (but not mexicans -- irish, polish, russian, portuguese, canadian......).    One of Romney's ideas was that anyone who presented themselves to the ER for tx without insurance was getting reported -- thus sending the illegals to NH instead.   :-)

Y'all know how much Deval loves those illegals!   

Offline zeitgeist

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Re: Massachusetts ups fine for skipping [health] insurance
« Reply #11 on: January 02, 2011, 05:48:21 PM »
Actually many of them were illegals (but not mexicans -- irish, polish, russian, portuguese, canadian......).    One of Romney's ideas was that anyone who presented themselves to the ER for tx without insurance was getting reported -- thus sending the illegals to NH instead.   :-)

Y'all know how much Deval loves those illegals!   

Isn't that Caddilac Deval? or is it Curtains?  I haven't listened to Howie in ages so I am not up on goings on south of the Merrimac.

Maine isn't in much better shape in health care.  I saw a thread a the dump saying they had applied for a waiver. :fuelfire: 
< watch this space for coming distractions >

Offline true_blood

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Re: Massachusetts ups fine for skipping [health] insurance
« Reply #12 on: January 02, 2011, 07:15:09 PM »
Isn't that Caddilac Deval? or is it Curtains? 
:rotf:

Offline docstew

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Re: Massachusetts ups fine for skipping [health] insurance
« Reply #13 on: January 08, 2011, 01:08:56 PM »
It is just another bill.  You have to submit proof of insurance when you file your taxes.    Nasty business.    We have insurance for life as my husband is retired military, but this is one of the aspects of this plan that was just ill-advised.   

I thank you and your husband for serving and am glad that your Tricare fulfills those requirements, but here you argue that it is not state run health care.  Which is it?

Offline formerlurker

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Re: Massachusetts ups fine for skipping [health] insurance
« Reply #14 on: January 08, 2011, 02:32:56 PM »
I thank you and your husband for serving and am glad that your Tricare fulfills those requirements, but here you argue that it is not state run health care.  Which is it?

Requiring that residents have health insurance is not state run.  We must have a different definition of the term.

Offline Lacarnut

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Re: Massachusetts ups fine for skipping [health] insurance
« Reply #15 on: January 08, 2011, 02:36:36 PM »
It is just another bill.  You have to submit proof of insurance when you file your taxes.    Nasty business.    We have insurance for life as my husband is retired military, but this is one of the aspects of this plan that was just ill-advised.   

Your boy passed it & he did the state a big favor.  :hammer: :hammer: :hammer:

Offline formerlurker

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Re: Massachusetts ups fine for skipping [health] insurance
« Reply #16 on: January 08, 2011, 02:41:22 PM »
Your boy passed it & he did the state a big favor.  :hammer: :hammer: :hammer:

WTF?   My boy?   How old are you?


Offline formerlurker

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Re: Massachusetts ups fine for skipping [health] insurance
« Reply #17 on: January 08, 2011, 02:42:04 PM »
You know what I am done discussing Romney with you. 

Offline Lacarnut

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Re: Massachusetts ups fine for skipping [health] insurance
« Reply #18 on: January 08, 2011, 02:45:17 PM »
WTF?   My boy?   How old are you?



A lot older and wiser than you. I can see a snake in the grass when I see one.

Offline docstew

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Re: Massachusetts ups fine for skipping [health] insurance
« Reply #19 on: January 09, 2011, 01:26:23 AM »
Requiring that residents have health insurance is not state run.  We must have a different definition of the term.

OK, I will concede that it is not state run, however, it is a mandated program where those who don't participate are fined.  It is the exact same kind of individual mandate that is part of Obamacare.  The kind of mandate that was recently found unconstitutional by a federal judge.  Now, is this a conservative principle?

Offline Attero Dominatus

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Re: Massachusetts ups fine for skipping [health] insurance
« Reply #20 on: January 09, 2011, 05:28:04 AM »
OK, I will concede that it is not state run, however, it is a mandated program where those who don't participate are fined.  It is the exact same kind of individual mandate that is part of Obamacare.  The kind of mandate that was recently found unconstitutional by a federal judge.  Now, is this a conservative principle?

It may not be state run, but it is statist. If the individual mandate is ruled constitutional by the supreme court, it sets in motion where the government can mandate that people purchase a commodity, and the abuses that can come with it: forcing people to buy products from companies who donate to certain politicians for example, or forcing people to buy from companies who need 'bailing out.'
« Last Edit: January 09, 2011, 05:33:55 AM by Attero Dominatus »
Those who would trade their liberty for temporary security will get neither. --Benjamin Franklin.

Offline formerlurker

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Re: Massachusetts ups fine for skipping [health] insurance
« Reply #21 on: January 09, 2011, 06:13:14 AM »
OK, I will concede that it is not state run, however, it is a mandated program where those who don't participate are fined.  It is the exact same kind of individual mandate that is part of Obamacare.  The kind of mandate that was recently found unconstitutional by a federal judge.  Now, is this a conservative principle?

The personal responsibility clause of the original plan was that those who do not wish to purchase insurance would float an account for 10K that would cover unexpected health care expenses.

The state forces individuals to purchase auto insurance, have for as long as I have been paying attention, and abuse has not occurred in that regard.   That said, the free care -- which has been and continues to be a significant problem nationally -- that has been thoroughly abused.  

The conservative answer to that would be to end free care.   You don't have insurance, or cash to pay for emergency treatment?  then you get none.    Absent of that, the taxpayers in the state of MA were paying to the tune of $1 billion + for those "personally responsible" folks who had no insurance.    Romney wanted to end that.  His original plan was a good one.   Unfortunately, MA was probably not the state to implement such a policy as like everything else they touch, the Democrats totally ruined it.

Offline formerlurker

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Re: Massachusetts ups fine for skipping [health] insurance
« Reply #22 on: January 09, 2011, 06:20:01 AM »
It may not be state run, but it is statist. If the individual mandate is ruled constitutional by the supreme court, it sets in motion where the government can mandate that people purchase a commodity, and the abuses that can come with it: forcing people to buy products from companies who donate to certain politicians for example, or forcing people to buy from companies who need 'bailing out.'

Even with a liberal statehouse, I don't see that happening in MA.   Employers must purchase worker's compensation insurance or be heavily fined by the AG's office, owners of motor vehicles must purchase auto insurance or face criminal prosecution if they operate a vehicle without it -- this state, like every other state in the union, have been doing similar mandates for decades without challenge.   

The health insurance mandate of fining those without insurance is being challenged.   We will see how that plays out.

Offline docstew

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Re: Massachusetts ups fine for skipping [health] insurance
« Reply #23 on: January 09, 2011, 05:54:56 PM »
Even with a liberal statehouse, I don't see that happening in MA.   Employers must purchase worker's compensation insurance or be heavily fined by the AG's office, owners of motor vehicles must purchase auto insurance or face criminal prosecution if they operate a vehicle without it -- this state, like every other state in the union, have been doing similar mandates for decades without challenge.   

The health insurance mandate of fining those without insurance is being challenged.   We will see how that plays out.

False analogy. Both of these actions are choices.  One can decide not to run a business, or even choice not to own or drive a car.  There is no choice to being alive, which is the basis for the mandate.

Offline formerlurker

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Re: Massachusetts ups fine for skipping [health] insurance
« Reply #24 on: January 09, 2011, 06:12:24 PM »
False analogy. Both of these actions are choices.  One can decide not to run a business, or even choice not to own or drive a car.  There is no choice to being alive, which is the basis for the mandate.

The non-choice is actually thrust upon the taxpayer, as those who choose not to pay for coverage are inflicting their choice onto that taxpayer when they seek free care at a MA hospital emergency room.   

The consequence of no insurance is $1 billion + a year to the taxpayer.