IRS issues final rules on Obamacare's 'individual mandate'

[PoliticAverse]

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - The Internal Revenue Service issued final rules on Tuesday for the individual mandate of President Barack Obama's healthcare overhaul, one of the most contentious elements of the U.S. law set to go into effect next year.

...

The IRS, which is administering parts of the law involving revenue collection, released the final rules spelling out the details of what constitutes minimum essential coverage, and how individuals are responsible for spouses, children and other dependents, among other topics.

...

The rules announced on Tuesday offered good news to employees getting health coverage through a union-sponsored plan. They clarify that these employees will not be penalized, said tax lawyers who reviewed the rules on Tuesday.

The IRS rules also said employees getting healthcare coverage from a temporary staffing agency are safe from penalties.


Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/27/us-usa-irs-obamacare-idUSBRE97Q10T20130827?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews

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.pdf of the finalized rules: (shortened clickable link): http://1.usa.gov/16KH08p

Additional article on the finalized rules with information not in the Reuters article:
http://www.benefitspro.com/2013/08/27/irs-completes-health-penalty-rules

[Safetykitten]

1. Going through the thing. Fucking. Nightmare.

[Supersedeas]

2. it's the IRS -- created to manufacture the necessity for professional accountants

just to interpret the rules

[Puzzledtraveller]

4. I'm not looking forward to this at all as a caseworker.

There are several things at issue here. It is not yet known just who may be eligible for subsidies, and if so what will that get them. There is the problem that most people have no idea what this law means for them. I did have a client ask me yesterday if she had to have insurance next year. I replied yes. If her employer does not provide it she will have the option of applying for medicaid, applying for a subsidy to buy from the exchange or seek the aid of navigators to purchase health insurance on the HBE. She was seriously worried about not being eligible for the aid, or the expanded medicaid we will be offering and thus leaving her to pay out of pocket for something she doesn't have the money for in the first place and if not may be assessed a penalty that could be deducted from her tax refund.

This law was supposed to help people, not harm them and I believe we will see these effects soon enough. Health insurance does not equate to health care. I have a health insurance through the state government I work for but unless I'm hit by something catastrophic is means little because I can't even afford the copay to get my allergy shots. How will a family making just enough to be over the subsidy bar not only pay out of pocket for health insurance much less actually be able to use it.

[Mnpaul]

3. It sounds unconstitutional

under the equal taxation provisions in the Constitution.

[msanthrope]

5. No. nt

[geek tragedy]

6. Y'all lost that battle. Deal. nt

[Mnpaul]

7. Lost what battle?

The Supreme Court ruled that is was a tax. There has been no case that I know of regarding the unequal application of that tax.

And beyond that it is just stupid. Companies will dump workers off on temp agencies or keep them as temps to get out of paying for their healthcare. How can that be a good thing?

[itsrobert]

8. You mean like the progressive income tax system we have now?

Where people making more are tax at a greater percentage in theory?

A system that's been around a long, long time?

[Mnpaul]

9. That isn't the same thing

The rate is equal for the same amount of income regardless of where you work.

[itsrobert]

10. If I serve in a combat zone in the miltiary

I am exempt of income taxes. Please admit you are wrong and we will move on.

[Mnpaul]

11. A military exemption?

More nonsense. All the military at that location get the same exemption no matter what their job is.

Please admit you sorry excuse for a heathcare plan is a joke and we can move on to something that works.

And how about the people you will be trapping in temp jobs? I guess you can't even address that one.

[geek tragedy]

13. That's been going on for 20 years.

Difference is under Obamacare there'll be affordable options available to temps etc that didn't exist before.

[quadrature]

12. how will I be legally informed ?

of any obligations I have under Obamacare.
will I get something in the mail?

[PoliticAverse]

17. There's a web page now that explains your obligations...

http://www.irs.gov/uac/Questions-and-Answers-on-the-Individual-Shared-Responsibility-Provision

[Doctor_J]

14. Or we could have Medicare for all

like the civilized countries. No law suits, no rejected claims, no 1-inch stacks of paper still piling up a year after your illness, no mountainous phone bills generated by trying to reach someone who can tell you why your acne medicine from 30 years ago disqualifies you from treatment. What fun would that be?

[mainer]

15. Can someone answer a question? I don't know

Since paying for insurance is a mandated thing, and the IRS can penalize you for not getting it...

Does this mean we can deduct the cost of paying for that coverage from our income taxes?

[PoliticAverse]

16. No, but you may be eligible for a subsidy (tax credit) for your premium.

For all the tax implications of the PPACA, see...
http://www.irs.gov/uac/Affordable-Care-Act-Tax-Provisions-Home
http://www.irs.gov/uac/Questions-and-Answers-on-the-Individual-Shared-Responsibility-Provision