OBAMACARE = TAXES, TAXES, TAXES

PARTIAL LIST OF NEW TAXES

Individual Mandate Tax.  Starting in 2014, anyone not buying “qualifying” health insurance must pay an income surtax according to the following schedule (capped at 8 percent of income):

                                    Single                         Single+1                     Single+2<

2014                            $  95                            $  190                          $ 285

2015                            $350                            $  700                          $1050

2016 etc.                     $750                            $1500                          $2250

Exemptions for religious objections, undocumented immigrants, prisoners, those earning less than the poverty line, members of Indian tribes, and hardship cases  as determined by HHS.

Employer Mandate Tax.  If an employer does not offer health coverage, and at least one employee qualifies for a health tax credit, the employer must pay an additional non-deductible tax of $750 for all full-time employees.  Applies to all employers with 50 or more employees.

NOTE:  If the employer requires a waiting period to enroll in coverage of 30-60 days, there is a $400 tax per employee ($600 if the period is 60 days or longer).

Medicine Cabinet Tax.  Use of Health Savings, Flexible Spending, and Health Reimbursement Accounts’ pre-tax dollars to purchase non-prescription, over-the-counter medicines is prohibited. (Sole exception is insulin).

Health Savings Account Withdrawal Tax Hike.  Raises additional tax on non-medical early withdrawals from 10 to 20 percent.

Flexible Spending Accounts.   Imposes cap on FSAs of $2500 (now unlimited).

Excise Tax on Charitable Hospitals.  $50,000 per hospital if they fail to meet new “community health assessment needs”, “financial assistance”, and “billing and collection” rules set by HHS.

Tax on Innovator Drug Companies.  $2.3 billion annual tax on the industry imposed relative to share of sales made that year.

Tax on Medical Device Manufacturers.  $2 billion annual tax on the industry imposed relative to shares of sales made that year.  Exempts items retailing for <$100.

Tax on Cosmetic Medical Procedures.  New 5% excise tax on elective cosmetic surgery to be paid by the surgery patient.

Source:  Americans for Tax Reform, November 2009. www.atr.org

HOW H. R. 1 (OBAMACARE) WAS PASSED

In February 2009, duly-elected Republican representatives were barred from meaningful, proactive participation in the decision-making process surrounding H. R. 1 (Obamacare), thus denying them the opportunity to exercise the power given them by voters.

Following is a brief summary of requests denied and/or protocols disregarded by Democrats to ensure passage of H. R. 1:

(1)  The final bill was not a product of committee work.  An after-hours meeting occurred between Obama, then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi and then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to which no others were invited or privy.

(2)  Democrats dispensed with a 72-hour advance reading protocol to guarantee the bill would hit the House Floor “considered read” going in to proceedings.  Discussion of its contents for benefit of the public was denied.  Any and all efforts by Republicans to reverse this action were summarily overruled by Speaker Pelosi.

(3)  The 1,000-page plus H.R. 1 was delivered to Representatives at midnight, resulting in the denial of any bona fide opportunity for study prior to the following day’s vote.  Due to the severe time constraints imposed by Democrats, Republicans respectfully requested a one-hour extension to the scheduled 90-minute debate to provide for at least that much more time to review details of the final bill.  Request was denied by Speaker Pelosi.

Republican citizens were denied the opportunity to actively participate in their government.  Silencing the voices of their elected representatives silenced the voice of the people who elected them. 

Representatives are duly elected and sent to Congress carrying the people’s authority to act and speak on our behalf.  The Constitution grants no power to any Branch of government to prohibit the full and free exercise of the people’s authority through their representatives.  Nevertheless, in 2009, that authority was denied by the White House, the Speaker of the House, and the Senate Majority Leader to guarantee passage of “Obamacare”.

About these ads