Will you drop your health insurance now?

[ERCougar]

I'm in favor of the mandate, but I'm opposed to a toothless mandate. I see plenty of people gaming the system. How many of you will?

[byu71]

I need a "don't know" answer. I don't know how this whole thing works, like probably 95% of the public.

[wuapinmon]

I need a "don't know" answer. I don't know how this whole thing works, like probably 95% of the public.

+1!

[ERCougar]

Let's go with current penalties as laid out, since I don't see anyone daring to mess with it now. As I understand it, $600/year, right?

[Moliere]

I'm in favor of the mandate, but I'm opposed to a toothless mandate. I see plenty of people gaming the system. How many of you will?

Gaming the system? That's like saying that saving money in a 401(k) tax deferred account is gaming the system.

I won't drop my coverage as I'm covered by a large corporate employer plan. If I were single and healthy I'd drop my coverage (probably wouldn't have coverage to begin with) on 1/1/2014.

[ERCougar]

Gaming the system? That's like saying that saving money in a 401(k) tax deferred account is gaming the system.

I won't drop my coverage as I'm covered by a large corporate employer plan. If I were single and healthy I'd drop my coverage (probably wouldn't have coverage to begin with) on 1/1/2014.

I'm not understanding the analogy...
What I mean by gaming the system is that currently I pay ~$250/month for a high deductible plan (and that's really cheap). So I save $3000-$600 = $2400 for dropping my insurance coverage. I call that gaming the system because the intent is to make sure everyone gets coverage, when in fact, it incentivizes me to drop it.

[Moliere]

I'm not understanding the analogy...
What I mean by gaming the system is that currently I pay ~$250/month for a high deductible plan (and that's really cheap). So I save $3000-$600 = $2400 for dropping my insurance coverage. I call that gaming the system because the intent is to make sure everyone gets coverage, when in fact, it incentivizes me to drop it.

There is no mandate since the mandate is unconstitutional so the intent of the law, IMO, is moot. There is only a tax for those that don't have insurance. People make decisions everyday based on tax law and this is now just another decision. It's often times cheaper to buy a home instead of renting since one gives a tax deduction and the other doesn't. It's going to be cheaper to have no insurance and pay a higher tax. I guess I don't see how paying higher taxes is "gaming the system" given the nature of the SCOTUS decision.

[ERCougar]

There is no mandate since the mandate is unconstitutional so the intent of the law, IMO, is moot. There is only a tax for those that don't have insurance. People make decisions everyday based on tax law and this is now just another decision. It's often times cheaper to buy a home instead of renting since one gives a tax deduction and the other doesn't. It's going to be cheaper to have no insurance and pay a higher tax. I guess I don't see how paying higher taxes is "gaming the system" given the nature of the SCOTUS decision.

Ah, ok. I see what you're saying.
That's exactly what I plan to do come 2014. I'd feel a little guilty about that if they hadn't made the squirrely argument about this being a "tax" and not a "mandate". As such, I feel fine following your reasoning and making a "tax" decision.

[ERCougar]

I need to reword this poll. I forget that most people have employer-sponsored coverage.

[pellegrino]

+1!

+2 (damn thing won't let me post with just two characters)

[pellegrino]

I need to reword this poll. I forget that most people have employer-sponsored coverage.

Yes, I have employer-sponsored coverage, but I still pay about 10% of my gross annual income for my family's insurance. If I can get away with paying a lot less for the same coverage then I might consider gaming the system.

[Tim]

I don't know where the $600 number comes from. From my understanding the penalty starting in 2014 is $285/year per family or 1% of income, whichever is higher. In 2016 that rises to $2,085 per family or 2.5% of income, whichever is higher. If you make 100k the penalty will be $2,500 per year.

[Uncle Ted]

I'm not understanding the analogy...
What I mean by gaming the system is that currently I pay ~$250/month for a high deductible plan (and that's really cheap). So I save $3000-$600 = $2400 for dropping my insurance coverage. I call that gaming the system because the intent is to make sure everyone gets coverage, when in fact, it incentivizes me to drop it.

$250 is cheap. I pay about $750/mo for a high deductible (I have college age kids on my plan thanks to that "you don't get kicked off until age 26 thing"). I am very incentivized by the government to drop it.

[ERCougar]

$250 is cheap. I pay about $750/mo for a high deductible (I have college age kids on my plan thanks to that "you don't get kicked off until age 26 thing"). I am very incentivized by the government to drop it.

Is Tim right about the penalty, er...uh..."premium"?

[CJF]

I don't know where the $600 number comes from. From my understanding the penalty starting in 2014 is $285/year per family or 1% of income, whichever is higher. In 2016 that rises to $2,085 per family or 2.5% of income, whichever is higher. If you make 100k the penalty will be $2,500 per year.

I pay $413 every 15 days for a high deductible family plan. I'll take 2.5%. The rest of my family does not earn income. I've saved myself quite a bit of money.