Good question. My family benefits ran out in October. I have a hubby and 2 boys. Hubby looking for work desperately, 26 years of HVAC/R experience and no takers. I cannot afford coverage as of now. Praying kids don’t get sick or hurt. I guess if they make it mandatory I can hope they put us in jail so at least we have a roof, meals, and health care on staff. This coming from a woman who stayed home for 15 years to raise my kids, hubby worked 2-3 jobs to keep me there, homeschooled til I had to get a job to help. Never late on a bill, now when I am struggling to put food on the table and not lose my home add THIS?? I quit. Where is the f(##(ing line, I don’t want pie, I NEED pie and it SUCKS!
I start COBRA in 4 weeks. I cannot afford it. That means unless I have a job with benefits in four weeks I have to cash out my retirement which has lost 70% of its value. Then I have to pay a 10% penalty on it and 28% in taxes on it.
I went from being able to live for 2-3 years if I had to cash out to a little more then 6 months. On a retirement plan I have been saving for 20 years.
I don’t want a handout and I don’t want anyone to pay for me. I want a job.