Obamacare

[kapeh12]

My other question is, if I dont have insurance by January 1, will I be penalized when I file my income tax this January?

No, the tax will be assessed beginning on your 2014 tax return (the taxes you will be filing in early 2014 is for your 2013 income).

Here's a page that contains some information regarding the individual mandate, expected penalties, and has links to find out whether or not one is exempt from the mandate and how to file an exemption:

http://obamacarefacts.com/obamacare-individual-mandate.php

[linderlizzie]

How can we understand it if Congress didn't even understand it?  They pushed it through not having read it and knowing it was going to be a fiasco. I have heard absolutely nothing good about it thus far. Even the roll-out of the website was supposed to cover the tragedy that the healthcare law is.

Too many people have lost the insurance they already had. The compliance issues are horrendous to many employers, etc., etc., ad nauseum. I no longer have any trust in a government that allows its president to make and change laws to suit his own needs, and which takes God out of every aspect of our lives. 

[vp44]

Thank You  kapeh12. Your help on understanding.

[sherryfan]

I know, it is confusing. I thought they delay until March 2014 for punishment fee

[sherryfan]

Does anyone know $95 or 1% of your income punishment fee is for monthly or is for yearly?

[sunwaters]

Does anyone know $95 or 1% of your income punishment fee is for monthly or is for yearly?

I think its annualy, that would be too much cut from our check if its monthly

[tuyetmai]

I don't understand it either, and I think it's very inconvience for everyone right now.  Hope they will explaint more clearly.

[ghunter]

I don't really understand why people don't understand   It is for people who do not have or cannot afford healthcare and for the ones with some other sickness that the insurance company will not pay for.  Go on line and Read Read

[marciaenglish]

I did finally get on line and I found that I cannot afford even their cheapest plan!  I don't know how it benefits people who cannot afford insurance from insurance companies!  The cheapest plan I could find is much more expensive than the ones offered by the regular insurance companies on a regular basis before the exchange even started!   

[hawkeye3210]

I don't really understand why people don't understand   It is for people who do not have or cannot afford healthcare and for the ones with some other sickness that the insurance company will not pay for.  Go on line and Read Read

You really can't understand why someone might have questions on thousands of pages of regulations that have been continually update, modified, and delayed?

[dwiley11]

If you dont have insurane and want it you pay 3000, if you dont want it and dont have and you pay 1000

[vickysue]

It has to be the joke of the century. I was talking too my doctor and even the doctors don't know what all it will or won't cover. A lot of them do not even want to mess with it. And to try and make it manatory is awful for the young people. Some can not pay it. This should have been throught through way more then it was. And obummer has already made about 800 adjustments too it, i don't think he even knows what is going on now. And as for him saying he signed up for it. Well we all know that is another lie.

[bob1tina]

Yeah I don't understand the whole thing either.  I looked on the internet under Obamacare and there are so many choices and I just don't know how it all works.

[shunntwo]

I don' t even think it is legal...it is scary and too socialist.  i don't get it.

[mythociate]

Do you guys fully understand this Healthcare? Its too complicated for me, My health insurance from my job is very limited coverage and I dont know if I will pay penalty if I decided to keep this health insisurance or buy in Exchange.

No, and I don't think many others do either. The way I understand it, "Insurance" is basically 'membership in a club that will cover a certain set of expenses' (so that--should you incur such expenses--you can basically 'flash your card' at those seeking payment, & you're 'good').

Choosing an insurance-company--then--is basically the same as 'choosing a club'---you choose the club whose 'dues' you can afford, and who covers 'the expenses you would guess you might incur.'

"Defying death" kinda puts me out-of-reach of most insurance (and not because 'they don't cover "near death"' or something, but because defying it denied me the "chance" to 'grow up').

So on a basic level, the ACA sounds like Socialism (not the good kind but a basic 'this is the club you MUST join' lack-of-freedom ... although having your "choice" decided by economics & probability doesn't sound that much 'freer').