Jack from Ohio Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 4. What counts as minimum essential coverage? Minimum essential coverage includes at a minimum all of the following: Employer-sponsored coverage (including COBRA coverage and retiree coverage) Coverage purchased in the individual market Medicare coverage (including Medicare Advantage) Medicaid coverage Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage Certain types of Veterans health coverage TRICARE Minimum essential coverage does not include specialized coverage, such as coverage only for vision care or dental care, workers' compensation, disability policies, or coverage only for a specific disease or condition. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has authority to designate additional types of coverage as minimum essential coverage. Information on additional coverage that HHS has proposed to designate as minimum essential coverage, including student health plans and coverage provided by foreign governments, is available. 6. What do I need to do if I want to be sure I have minimum essential coverage or an exemption for 2014? Most individuals in the United States have health coverage today that will count as minimum essential coverage and will not need to do anything more than continue the coverage that they have. For those who do not have coverage, who anticipate discontinuing the coverage they have currently, or who want to explore whether more affordable options are available, Health Insurance Marketplaces (also know as Affordable Insurance Exchanges) will open for every state and the District of Columbia in October of 2013. These Health Insurance Marketplaces will help qualified individuals find minimum essential coverage that fits their budget and potentially financial assistance to help with the costs of coverage beginning in 2014. The Health Insurance Marketplace will also be able to assess whether applicants are eligible for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). For those who will become eligible for Medicare during 2013, enrolling for Medicare will also ensure that you have minimum essential coverage for 2014. For those seeking an exemption, a Health Insurance Marketplace will be able to provide certificates of exemption for many of the exemption categories. HHS has proposed regulations on how a Health Insurance Marketplace will go about granting these exemptions. Individuals will also be able to claim exemptions for 2014 when they file their federal income tax returns in 2015. Individuals who are not required to file a federal income tax return are automatically exempt and do not need to take any further action to secure an exemption. See question 20 for further information on exemptions. For more information about the Health Insurance Marketplace, including how to sign up for email updates and tips on how to prepare for open enrollment in October 2013, visit the Health Insurance Marketplace website. Health Insurance premiums are already increasing at alarming and unprecedented pace. Companies are increasing costs to employees, reducing coverages and many are changing employees hours to fall under the part time definition to avoid the mandate. The calculations in 2014 take into account the numbers paid in 2012 & 2013 in the calculation. We the tax preparers have been drafted to give the bad news to clients. It is a trainwreck and we have been made conductors. The idea that most Americans will not have to change anything is a pipe dream and political propaganda!! Just wait and see. Want more proof? Congress is trying to exempt themselves from it. Now why do you think they are doing that? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taxed Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 Jack, tax preparers have not been drafted to give the bad news to the clients! Just ask any tax preparer in MA. This exact system has been in place since the Romney days in MA and the same arguments were made here. It takes a competent tax preparer in MA no more than 5 minutes to fill the HC form of the MA tax return. All the information is supplied in the 1099-HC form that taxpayers get if they have private insurance. Those with Govt insurance (medicare, medicaid, state sponsored plans) don't get 1099-HC and on the HC form there is just one check box and that's it. As I said before the state exchanges in mostly Republican dominated states will fail because of poor design and ultimately there will be a single payer system in USA once folks in these states wake up and see other states that have a better system. There will be a revolt! There are taxpayers in surrounding states of MA, trying to move to MA to get the MA healthcare! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcjenkins Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 If you are right, they should let the states work it out, and the states that do it right will become models for other states. I live close to TN, and I know their TN-Care was a total screw-up, almost bankrupting the state while not delivering what was promised. Letting states figure it out may seem clumsy, but it is actually better than a massive Federal bureaucracy that tries to change the entire system at once, with non-accountable bureaucrats in DC having absolute power over us all. I'd love to see it, if it works. So far, though, what is coming is going to make things worse, not better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack from Ohio Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 Jack, tax preparers have not been drafted to give the bad news to the clients! Just ask any tax preparer in MA. This exact system has been in place since the Romney days in MA and the same arguments were made here. It takes a competent tax preparer in MA no more than 5 minutes to fill the HC form of the MA tax return. All the information is supplied in the 1099-HC form that taxpayers get if they have private insurance. Those with Govt insurance (medicare, medicaid, state sponsored plans) don't get 1099-HC and on the HC form there is just one check box and that's it. As I said before the state exchanges in mostly Republican dominated states will fail because of poor design and ultimately there will be a single payer system in USA once folks in these states wake up and see other states that have a better system. There will be a revolt! There are taxpayers in surrounding states of MA, trying to move to MA to get the MA healthcare! There is absolutely NO indication that Obamacare will follow the MA healthcare system in the reporting of this information to the taxpayers. Insurance companies will report to the IRS. Employers will report to the IRS. Taxpayers will report (on the tax return) information to the IRS. Then the IRS will match information and enforce as much as they will be able to. Keep dreaming that the system will be coordinated like MA. The sheer number of taxpayers in the whole country vs. the number in MA is enough information so that common sense will see that the IRS will not be able to handle it. Just keep hoping, and watch.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taxed Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 JUST GIVE IT A CHANCE! In MA the insurance company sends info to the state DOR and the the insured. The insured then reports that in their state tax form. Many states who don't want Obamacare for political reasons will do everything in their power to scuttle this like not setting up exchanges even though the Feds are paying for it. Even the Gov. of Georgia publicly stated that the failure of states to correctly implement it will eventually lead to a single payer system with the Feds in charge! President Obama was absolutely correct at today's news conference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack from Ohio Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 President Obama was absolutely correct at today's news conference. That will be one for the record books. I did not see the news conference, but have seen most of his previous. There is no structure for reporting to the taxpayer. If you know otherwise, please point me to the information. Trainwreck in progress, slow, disastrous and insidious. Don't believe me, just stand by, time will tell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taxed Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 Trainwreck will be caused by those states who fail to setup the insurance exchanges in order to scuttle this law. Then they will blame the Feds when they set it up. Eventually it will lead to a single payer system. Had we done that from the get go we could have saved a lot of money and aggravation, but some Americans are used to learning their lesson the hard way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldJack Posted May 1, 2013 Report Share Posted May 1, 2013 Insurance coverage will be a question on the tax return, much like the auto on form 4562, "Do you have evidence to support the business/investment use claimed? Yes No If “Yes,” is the evidence written?" How many of you have been checking "No"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack from Ohio Posted May 1, 2013 Report Share Posted May 1, 2013 Insurance coverage will be a question on the tax return, much like the auto on form 4562, "Do you have evidence to support the business/investment use claimed? Yes No If “Yes,” is the evidence written?" How many of you have been checking "No"? Except, there will be tables and formulas to be dealt with. The question will be something like... "Based on the tables listed, and the amounts you and your employer are paying, do you have adequate insurance coverage? Y/N If no, refer to table XX to calculate your penalty." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnH Posted May 1, 2013 Report Share Posted May 1, 2013 The thought occurred to me that if we begin asking healthcare-related questions, we might find ourselves coming under the HIPAA regulations. If you think Circular 230 is a hassle, just try wading through HIPAA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack from Ohio Posted May 1, 2013 Report Share Posted May 1, 2013 The thought occurred to me that if we begin asking healthcare-related questions, we might find ourselves coming under the HIPAA regulations. If you think Circular 230 is a hassle, just try wading through HIPAA. We will only be asking about insurance premiums and coverage. No healthcare related questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taxed Posted May 1, 2013 Report Share Posted May 1, 2013 It is my understanding that the insurance companies will be required to inform their policyholders if the plan meets the MCC requirements. How that info. will be conveyed is TBD. I think a notice will be given when the policy renews each year or at open enrollment signups. At any rate the questions asked on the tax form about coverage will NOT include any health questions that violate the HIPAA laws. As a taxpreparer I am used to this so no big deal for me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jainen Posted May 1, 2013 Report Share Posted May 1, 2013 >>if we begin asking healthcare-related questions, we might find ourselves coming under the HIPAA regulations<< We have always asked about and documented medical issues for disability, qualified expenses on Schedule A and Form 8889, etc. HIPAA rules are for "covered entities" such as health care providers and plans. I'm not worried, because the only health care I provide is Kleenex. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcjenkins Posted May 1, 2013 Report Share Posted May 1, 2013 Many states who don't want Obamacare for political reasons will do everything in their power to scuttle this like not setting up exchanges even though the Feds are paying for it. Even the Gov. of Georgia publicly stated that the failure of states to correctly implement it will eventually lead to a single payer system with the Feds in charge! Sorry, but that's not exactly true. It's true that the Feds would pay for it at the start. Remember when the Feds passed a law to pay dor more police? Under Clinton, I think. But while the feds paid it all the first year or two, it then tapered off. And what happened? In most places, they then laid off the new cops. Well, in the case of Obamacare they would pay the first year, but then the Affordable Care Act provides funding to States that establish Exchanges for planning and establishment activities through 2014 and provides that the Exchange must be self-sustaining by January 1, 2015; the statute explicitly lists assessments and user fees on participating issuers as one means of securing operational funding for Exchanges. States may also use broad-based funding (e.g., general State revenues), consistent with other State or Federal laws. To ensure transparency, each Exchange must publish on its website information about its collection of payments and its administrative costs. Keep in mind, too, that once a state sets up an Exchange, they are stuck with funding it but have no idea at all how much tha cost may be. Do you know of ANY government program that did not end up costing more than 'projected'? Usually a LOT MORE. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taxed Posted May 1, 2013 Report Share Posted May 1, 2013 Govt. programs are not perfect but I would rather have a single payer system than what we have right now! Of the top 10 industrial countries in the world, USA is at the bottom in terms of health care delivery and cost efficiency. How many Canadians or Germans have gone bankrupt trying to pay for medical expenses?? President Obama is trying to make a change and the Republicans are trying their level best to keep USA at the bottom of the pile! Republicans have been on the wrong side of history starting with their opposition to Social Security, Civil rights, sensible gun control just to name a few.. These are the same Repubs. who complain loudly when the Feds are trying to help citizens of a state that refuses to set up the exchanges to help their citizens just to make a political point! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcjenkins Posted May 2, 2013 Report Share Posted May 2, 2013 Boy did you blow that one. It was Republicans that pushed, and passed Civil Rights Laws, starting with Lincoln's emancipation, right through Eisenhower sending troops to Little Rock to enforce desegregation, to the Civil Rights Law of 1964, which got only 61% of the Dems votes, but 80% of the Repubs. Dems were in control, without overwhelming support from Republicans, it would never have passed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BulldogTom Posted May 2, 2013 Report Share Posted May 2, 2013 Boy did you blow that one. It was Republicans that pushed, and passed Civil Rights Laws, starting with Lincoln's emancipation, right through Eisenhower sending troops to Little Rock to enforce desegregation, to the Civil Rights Law of 1964, which got only 61% of the Dems votes, but 80% of the Repubs. Dems were in control, without overwhelming support from Republicans, it would never have passed. You can't fight revisionist history from the libs. They live their lies. The also love their lies. "If you pass this stimulus package, unemployment will not go above 8%" - President Obama, 2009. Liar, liar, pants on fire. "These are shovel ready jobs" - President Obama, 2009 (oops, 141 billion went to state employees to pay off unions for their 2008 support. When the money was gone, so were the jobs). Liar liar pants on fire. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taxed Posted May 2, 2013 Report Share Posted May 2, 2013 President Lincoln and President Reagan would be NOT conservative enough for the Republican party of today! Those were great leaders. President Eisenhower had no choice but to uphold the law faced with Gov. Wallace's actions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BulldogTom Posted May 2, 2013 Report Share Posted May 2, 2013 President Lincoln and President Reagan would be NOT conservative enough for the Republican party of today! Those were great leaders. President Eisenhower had no choice but to uphold the law faced with Gov. Wallace's actions. Seriously dilusional liberal drivel. Seriously! Reagan not conservative enough? Seriously? Taxed must be from Colorado. He has been smokin' something. Probably partied with a guy named Barry in Hawaii back in the day. Killed the few intelligent brain cells he might have possessed at one point in his life. Now he just spouts off Mainstream Media blather. YUK. Just like something greasy and dirty that you don't want to even look at. Tom Hollister, CA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldJack Posted May 2, 2013 Report Share Posted May 2, 2013 The real problem is the "Undocumented Democrats". 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcjenkins Posted May 2, 2013 Report Share Posted May 2, 2013 President Lincoln and President Reagan would be NOT conservative enough for the Republican party of today! Those were great leaders. President Eisenhower had no choice but to uphold the law faced with Gov. Wallace's actions. I suggest you read the most recent blog from Niger Innis, National Spokesman for the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). "The purposeful restriction of knowledge has been at the heart of untold misery and hardship in this world. Serfs were kept illiterate so as to not jeopardize the feudal system. Slaves were kept in the dark on a variety of subjects so as to not provide them the possibility of escape. Today, knowledge remains elusive to so many because the media does not allow for facts that run contrary to the narratives they favor. Nowhere is this more evident than in the narratives concerning gun control. Though our supposed betters in the media see no reason to share this with the American public, gun control, a sanitized term for the systemic restriction of rights, has its earliest origins in racism. The concept is simple enough: enable the selected group to remain armed while working to disarm the unselected group. In America, this has been mainly black, Hispanic and immigrant populations." here's a link to the whole thing http://www.theblaze.com/contributions/the-long-racist-history-of-gun-control-in-america/ A black man speaks out on gun control. Project 21 member Niger Innis, whose family has suffered greatly from gun-related violence, decried liberal attempts to further regulate the ability of law-abiding Americans to own and use firearms. At the 2/22/13 “Black Leaders Speak Out on Gun Control” press conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., Niger said: “The Second Amendment is not about guns. It’s about freedom. It’s about liberty. And it’s about full humanity of decent people.” 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BulldogTom Posted May 2, 2013 Report Share Posted May 2, 2013 The real problem is the "Undocumented Democrats". That is funny. Tom Hollister, CA 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taxed Posted May 3, 2013 Report Share Posted May 3, 2013 On gun control, no one is talking about taking taking away 2nd amendment rights. But with all rights comes responsibility! Why do we have a gun show loophole? What purpose does it serve and why should a trade done in that environment not have background checks done? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack from Ohio Posted May 3, 2013 Report Share Posted May 3, 2013 On gun control, no one is talking about taking taking away 2nd amendment rights. But with all rights comes responsibility! Why do we have a gun show loophole? What purpose does it serve and why should a trade done in that environment not have background checks done? Define and document for me the "Trade Show loophole?" More liberal propaganda.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldJack Posted May 3, 2013 Report Share Posted May 3, 2013 Why should we have background checks when criminals already have guns? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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