Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On Fri, 1 Feb 2008 21:33:27 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:

"D.Duck" wrote in message
...
"Eisboch" wrote in message
...
"Chuck Gould" wrote in message
...

On Feb 1, 12:36?pm, "Eisboch" wrote:
In my limited personal experience with health care issues, the only
thing
anybody has ever asked me was for my BlueCross/BlueShield insurance
card.
I've never been asked how much income I make or if I can pay personally
for
"better" care.

Eisboch
If you were poor, you wouldn't have that insurance card.

------------------------------------

As of January 1st, I better have in MA or I'd be in violation of the law.
It is now *mandatory* to have health insurance of some type in this
state.

Eisboch
What's the penalty for not having one? What if you choose to self insure?

Duck, I don't know the answer to either question. I know that in the
months leading up to Jan 1st when the law went into effect, there were
television and radio ads reminding everyone of the new law and options that
were available to those who didn't or couldn't obtain insurance through
their employers. I believe the state mandated an "affordable" shared risk
program as well.

What happened was that if you didn't select a plan or provide proof of
a plan, the state charged you a set amount of money - I think it was
$249.

After that, kids who didn't have health insurance because the base
plan was $1,400 a year just paid the fine because it was cheaper than
getting health insurance.

Now, as I understand it, the fine is higher than the base insurance
level. :)

By the way, it cost the citizens of MA a lot more than Mitt
anticipated - WAY more.

My son was living in MA, and was talking about the need for Universal
Health Care, when I told him he NOW had UHC, he decided he would prefer
to keep them money in his pocket. I reminded him if he socialized
medicine it would be taken out of his paycheck automatically, he just
pretended i didn't point out the obvious. He was saving up for 6 months
of traveling in SE Asia, Asia and India. He like all the young, knew he
would NEVER need healthcare so he didn't sign up. He is now in Bangkok,
and I have no idea what kind of healthcare program they have.