Do you know the fine for not getting insurance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Christy644]

http://www.factcheck.org/2009/11/imprisoned-for-not-having-health-care/

On the subject of enforcing the individual health insurance mandate of H.R. 3962, the House-passed bill. That mandate requires people to have health insurance, unless they are below a certain income threshold ($9,350 for singles, $18,700 for couples in 2009). Those who don’t get coverage will be subject to a tax of 2.5 percent of their adjusted income beyond that threshold, up to the cost of the average national premium.

The letter from the JCT includes a list of civil and criminal penalties. These aren’t penalties for not buying insurance, however. They’re penalties for refusing to pay the resulting tax. Barthold’s letter says:

Barthold letter, Nov. 5: Depending on the level of the noncompliance, the following penalties could apply to an individual:

• Section 7203 - misdemeanor wilful failure to pay is punishable by a fine of up to $25,000 and/or imprisonment of up to one year.
• Section 7201 - felony wilful evasion is punishable by a fine of up to $250,000 and/or imprisonment of up to five years.

These are not sections of the House bill itself. Rather, they are sections of the current Internal Revenue Code, laying out the consequences of willful tax nonpayment. (Here’s section 7203, section 7201, and an additional section that sets a higher fine than 7201, as noted in the letter’s footnotes.)

[Christy644]

The IRS can intercept your refunds. Much like they do with back owed child support or student loans.

[Gecko85]

bump. I think that income threshold should be based on cost of living in your area. It would be impossible to live off that kind of income in my area. DH and I make nearly 50,000 a year and barely scrape by with what we need.

[AlyssaRob1416]

And what happens when you are laid off or in between jobs? Are you expected to take up Cobra? Many people can't afford that.

[allurasmamma]

 nasty i say.

[KBM99]

well crap I dont have insurance and a LOT of places wont insure me..

[TheTaoOfKim]

People who can't afford car insurance and drive get fined or jailed when they drive without it. People who don't have health insurance and have to visit the doctor should forfeit some of their income tax to cover the cost of the bills they neglected to pay if they went to the ER and never paid for it.

I don't see the problem with that at all. Especially if they can afford to pay their damn bills.

[TheTaoOfKim]

Quoting AlyssaRob1416:

And what happens when you are laid off or in between jobs? Are you expected to take up Cobra? Many people can't afford that.

 Right now COBRA is being subsidized by the gov't. The gov't pays 65% of the premium. Our COBRA was $1600. We pay $570 with the subsidy for our family and that includes dental.

[Christy644]

I don't know. I am one of the Joe shmo millions out there that this bill is going to hurt before it helps.

Quoting AlyssaRob1416:

And what happens when you are laid off or in between jobs? Are you expected to take up Cobra? Many people can't afford that.

[Christy644]

I have the choice whether or not to buy a car!!!!!!!!!! With the car comes insurance. If you don't want insurance don't buy a car.

Quoting TheTaoOfKim:

People who can't afford car insurance and drive get fined or jailed when they drive without it. People who don't have health insurance and have to visit the doctor should forfeit some of their income tax to cover the cost of the bills they neglected to pay if they went to the ER and never paid for it.

I don't see the problem with that at all. Especially if they can afford to pay their damn bills.

[Pepperlynns]

2%? our fine will only be 840 a year....we make 42,000 a year