Two million more may face Obamacare penalty

http://money.cnn.com/2012/09/19/news/economy/heal … ?hpt=hp_t3

OK, we've been discussing a lot lately about bad news for Romney, but this surely doesn't come as good news for the Obama campaign.

Frankly, I was shocked that the Supreme Court let the mandatory funding mechanism of the Affordable Care Act stand. It has really been extremely problematic all along, and it's still a huge issue that is going to have to be addressed down the road.

Yes, there are going to be some buttheads who can afford to pay for health insurance but don't want to. Fine the hell out of them.

But that doesn't address the working poor. Even if the cost of health insurance were as cheap as $100 per month, which would be a steal, they couldn't afford it. And how can you make people pay for something they can't afford?

In my family, my sister is a hairdresser who has no health insurance. She has a chronic health condition that would make her uninsurable under the current system. So you would think she'd be a big fan of the ACA, so she could get insurance, right? Wrong. She's more worried that she's going to get hit with a penalty that she can't afford.

Again, this doesn't take effect for a few years, but it's a monster flaw in the system that's going to have to be addressed. And the news that it now potentially affects 6 million Americans isn't good.
By BearinFW | 09/20/2012 04:53 AM | 5 comments
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  • First off, the poor and I include myself and my partner ill get assistance from the government and everyone needs insurance. I have medicare and medicaid and had to get insurance to help pay for my medical care. My partner has shit insurance and it would be illegal in 2 years. Frankly it was that shit insurance that helped me get onto disability. The shit insurance I had wouldn't pay more that $500 for hospitalization. I ended up getting so sick that I was hospitalized and became disabled because I couldn't get the medical care I needed. Obamacare is the BEST that has happened to America. It would be better with a single payer system but this will work for now. You 1% get fucked.
    chubear 09/25/2012 08:20 PM
  • I hope you remain healthy and have good insurance!
    VirginiaBear69 09/22/2012 07:01 AM
  • I would agree that a single-payer system like Canada and most of Europe would be way preferable to the ACA, but the reality is that ain't gonna happen any time in the foreseeable future in the U.S. Too much money is tied up in our current system and politicians aren't brave enough to overturn that.

    There are certainly some major problems with the ACA that are going to have to be ironed out before it is fully implemented. The mandatory pay provision is one that I don't see an easy solution to, but we'll see. However, that said, it's still preferable to what we have now, even with its problems.
    BearinFW 09/20/2012 08:14 PM
  • What I have noticed is the ever so slight, but SIGNIFICANT changes in the message that is being spewed.

    Initially we were informed that EVERYONE would be either required to have health insurance OR to pay a penaly of about 1200/year--that process being monitored and administered by the IRS. REMEMBER?

    Now I hear today that the anticipated cost is is closer to $1600 and that it will affect "ONLY THOSE WHO CAN'T AFFORD" health insurance. And still being monitored and administered by the IRS. What in hell happened to the word "all"? Oh, I know, it comes from the direct transfer of money fro the 51%--It's called WEALTH REDISTRIBUTION, guys!

    Here essentially what that means, to me anyway: The 49% of the people who NOW pay no federal income tax will be required to have health insurance, BUT, BUT those funds will be drawn from the general fund OR be transferred from existing Medicare funds, or paid from the the remaining 51%. Even King Obama can't get blood, much less $1600/year from a stone!

    What many, I'm willing to bet, do not know is that EVEN NOW, people currently collecting Social Security AND who are on Medicare, may be deemed by the IRS to have "higher than predicatable income". They are assessed a double or more on their personal Medicare payments. In fairness to Obama, and I struggle to find much good about this mid-western community organize, that provision was in place PRIOR to his election.

    This guy has lied, or for U guys who might take exception to the word "lie", at least has severely BENT the damn truth from the beginning!

    His whole message sounds like a chapter from Orwell's "Animal Farm" (wish I could underline the book title) doesn't it?
    ilikemeninjocks 09/20/2012 06:29 PM
  • This is really not a big deal. It was already figured into most of the estimations of the ACA already. If the states also opt in a lot of the people that are not going to be covered will be. The hospitals and care facilities are already lobbying for states to opt in as they are the ones that are hurt most when they don't. Eventually I believe that we will move towards a single payer system as it is an equitable solution to medical care for all. Don't forget that SSI and Medicare did not start out perfect but needed tweeks and fixes along the way as will the ACA. This is a much better system than CouponCare currently being floated by team Ryan/Romney.
    barney290 09/20/2012 07:15 AM