How is the new health care bill going to affect those of us who are uninsured?
I work 2 part time jobs that do not add up to 40 hours a week together. I am uninsured because I can’t afford to pay $350 every month. I know I am not the only one in this boat and it sounds like we will be forced to buy health care insurance or pay a penalty. Don’t those boneheads in washington think if we could afford insurance we would have it? They need to live in the real world and get in touch with their constituents.
August 6th, 2010 at 11:01 pm
You will not be penalized for not having insurance until 2014. Technically, it is my understanding that folks with insurance will be able to get a tax deduction, and folks without insurance will not be eligible for that deduction.
This deduction will start out pretty small in 2014. By that time, insurance exchanges will be set up to make getting insurance easier and more cost effective. In addition, if you don’t make enough to afford insurance, you will most likely get a subsidy to help you out. (I read online that for an individual, the cutoff will be an income of $44,000 and for a family of four, $88,000.) The penalty will increase a bit in 2016.