Posted on 04/03/2010 7:27:21 AM PDT by Libloather
Amish unaffected by new health law
Religious conscience covered in legislation.
By JON RUTTER, Staff Writer
Mar 28, 2010 00:18 EST
Most Americans will have to carry health insurance under new federal health care law or risk paying tax penalties unless they get a "religious conscience" pass.
That's what the legislation says.
Lawmakers note that "religious conscience" refers to conservative Plain sect groups even though it doesn't specifically name them.
Members of Old Order Amish and Old Order Mennonite churches have long eschewed commercial insurance in favor of community fundraisers and church-run health plans.
The landmark health care overhaul signed last week by President Obama promises to eventually cover 32 million uninsured Americans and impose hundreds of dollars of fines a year on individuals who don't buy insurance.
House Democrats capped a year-long political struggle Thursday when they passed a so-called "fix-it" measure containing minor revisions.
Currently, said Andrew Wimer, the spokesman for U.S. Rep. Joe Pitts, "It appears the Amish will be exempt on an individual basis."
On the other hand, Wimer said, the reform language has been "extremely vague" about entities such as Amish-owned businesses.
Under the legislation, businesses that don't offer health insurance as a benefit will have to pay penalties of $2,000 a year per full-time worker if they have more than 50 workers.
"There's a lot that's unclear at this point," Wimer said. He added that the fog is expected to lift as the legislation is enforced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Internal Revenue Service.
The majority of the health insurance mandates don't kick in until 2014.
"It could be 2012, it could be 2014 until we see how the details work out," Wimer said.
The historic legislation has Amish people talking.
"Oh my yes" it does, exclaimed an Amish farmer from Paradise Township, who added that he's suspicious of the measure. "We'll wait and see."
As of last week, Wimer said, no Amish constituents had contacted Pitts' office with concerns.
Authorities on Plain sect culture say they doubt any big changes are in store for the more than 25,000 Amish children and adults in the area.
For one thing, said Donald B. Kraybill, author of "The Riddle of Amish Culture," "There are very, very few [Amish companies employing 50 or more people] in Lancaster County. The bulk of Amish businesses have 12 or fewer people."
For another, there's a long history of exempting Plain people from sweeping federal mandates. The precendent goes back to 1965, when self-employed Amish workers were allowed to opt out of the Social Security and Medicare programs.
In 1988, said Steven Nolt, a Goshen College professor of history who has written extensively about Plain communities, the exemption was extended to Amish employees who worked for Amish-owned companies.
Those in a small Amish subset church members employed by "English" businesses still are required to participate in the Social Security program.
"Where I live in northern Indiana," Nolt added, "there's actually a larger minority who fall into that category" because many Amish people work in factories that make recreational vehicles and modular homes.
Nolt and Wimer noted that the religious conscience phrase in the health care measure copies earlier exemption language in the Internal Revenue Service code.
"If you didn't know what it was talking about," Nolt said, "the wording in the bill doesn't make any sense."
There has also been confusion over who else might be eligible to skip health insurance.
Despite erroneous reports, said spokeswoman Allison Doty, "this exclusion has nothing to do with" the Church of Christ, Scientist. It applies only to established religious groups that pay for their own health care.
Congress is letting the Health and Human Services secretary decide how often people who are qualified for waivers should apply for them.
However, Nolt said, he expects Plain sect individuals to have to apply one time only, just like they do with Social Security.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett branded the health care measure unconstitutional and joined 12 other state attorneys general in suing to try to block it.
"There shouldn't be a lot of haggling" over the religious conscience question, Nolt said. "Whether there will be, I don't know."
“You miss the point. They dont pay gas taxes to pay for road upkeep, but their vehicles cause far more road damage than cars with rubber tires. That is a very sore point in Amish country with those who actually pay to maintain the roads.”
The Amish DO pay taxes and part of the tax money goes to roads! Cosidering how they are not government parasites as many are that are NOT Amish, I will not nit pick them to death and force a lifestyle on them that they REJECT.
Honestly, I don’t hold road repair or paved raods against them. I am not that small minded and petty. They are decent, honest people. I handshake still seals a deal.
new tag line.....
A bit disingenuous to leave out that muzzies are going to be exempt...because their 'religion' doesn't allow any kind of insurance.
So the question begs: Do they pay for their own health care? Or are we picking up that tab?
And another ?: They drive. Are they exempt from car insurance?
Are the muzzie lovers in the WH pushing the Amish exemption by itself to create animosity - divide and conquer - against the Amish while not mentioning the exemption for their friends/
I'm pretty sure that can be done online now.
Smallminded and petty? It takes a lot of money to repave a road torn up by steel rims.
“They dont pay gas taxes, and their vehicles cause a disproportionate amount of damage to asphalt.”
Yes, they don’t pay GAS taxes because they don’t drive cars!
Geesh!
The Amish community is closed. It is not a major thoroughfare. Leave them alone! More people suck up government money that ANY Amish community you can name. Heck ILLEGALS get more from the government than the Amish. Aren’t you being a tad too petty with your road criticism? For all I know the GOVERNMENT requires this.
Why are you being so critical the Amish?
I can tell you’ve never driven a highway in Amish country. This is a major bone of contention in local governments in Amish country. Don’t get me wrong, I like the Amish overall, but there are gaps and double-standards in their belief system, just like any other.
Well if ask yahoo says so...
Me: I am not that small minded and petty.
You: Smallminded and petty? It takes a lot of money to repave a road torn up by steel rims.
Me: Thank you. You made my point!
Of all the government waste, you are concerned about Amish roads being torn up by their wheel rims. LOL!!!
Get over yourself, seriously. I am pointing out one bone of contention in Amish country between local govenrnments and the Amish. I like them overall, but that does not mean I cannot point out conflicts that arise from their exercise of their belief system.
Stop being an idiot, if that is possible. I criticize goverment waste all the time, I am just pointing out this is a point of contention in Amish country, and for cash-strapped state and local governments, it adds up.
It is against the conscience of every real Christian to be complicit in the killing of babies.
Since a large majority of Americans claim to be Christian, a large majority are therefore exempt.
I’m Catholic, and this law violates the principle of subsidiarity.
Can I get a religious conscience exemption?
Tell him that the Amish never asked the government to pave their roads. Most of the Amish farms predate paved roads.
It's either believe them or you - and they wrote three more paragraphs than you did.
Don’t suppose we could force the Amish to run their horses on gas so they can’t get out of paying gas taxes anymore. LOL
Years ago I worked for Allstate Insurance. Lancaster Pennsylvania was part of the area that I covered. A car was traveling through and didn't see an Amish boy walking along the road at dusk. The Allstate insured struck and filled the young boy. He was about 12 years old. The Amish REFUSED payment for medical care and REFUSED any other form of payment for the death of the boy. The case remained open for a year or so and the Amish REFUSED offers from Allstate for any financial assistance. They refused to sign any forms. The Amish took care of ALL expenses themselves. You really don't understand the mindset of the Amish.
Those democrat run states are HELL on highways - the tax monies DO NOT go where they are supposed to.
One of my sons is a long hauler - they pay beaucoup road taxes - including for every mile they run in any state.
But he can tell when he crosses the state lines when he has come into a democrat run state. He all but needs a kidney belt. Those roads, not maintained with monies that are suppose to go to maintenance - are HOLY HELL on drivers and their trucks.
And Pennsylvania is one of the WORST - AND has one of highest gas taxes in the nation.
So while you're slamming the Amish and long haulers = investigate where the road tax monies actually go.
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