At one time NFIB was a supporter of the change you won't believe, but they backed down as this abomination took shape.
A groundswell of opposition to the law from small business owners prompted NFIB's decision to join the court challenge, said Karen Harned, a senior lawyer for the group. "The second the law was signed, NFIB was hearing from its members: 'What are you all going to do about this?'," said Harned.
What NFIB and early supporters of Obamacare heard in the rhetoric was more affordable health insurance.
What we got was more bureaucracy, higher taxes, more government intrusion and higher health insurance premiums.
Gosh, like nobody saw that coming.
The mandate is effective in 2014, when new competitive insurance markets open for business. Insurers will then be required to take all applicants, no longer allowed to turn away those in poor health. The government will offer tax credits to help middle-class households pay premiums. And Medicaid will be expanded to cover millions more low-income people.
According to government estimates, about half those to be covered by the new insurance scheme will find themselves on Medicaid. I have clients who have gone on Medicaid only to later return to private insurance once their financial boat is righted and they swear they will never go back.
Individuals who refuse to get health insurance will be hit with a tax penalty, although exceptions are allowed for financial hardship and religious reasons.
God told you not to buy health insurance?
The new law allows government "to regulate you just because you exist," said Danner. "If you can regulate this, where do you stop? Do you tell people, 'We are going to mandate that everybody exercise?' We think this is an overreach by the government. It goes too far, and threatens individual freedom."
Of course it does, but some like living in a nanny state.
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