Posted on 04/08/2015 3:42:27 PM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
Few proposals in Governor Raimondo’s budget have sparked a more heated debate than her proposed “Obamacare tax.”
The tax – technically, a “health reform assessment” fee – is the mechanism she’s settled on to pay for the state-run health insurance marketplace created to implement President Obama’s Affordable Care Act. The federal government paid the startup costs for HealthSource RI – to the tune of nearly $170 million at last count – but it’s up to the states to figure out how to pay to keep it operating going forward.
And that means the state has to come up with its own way to pay the tab for HealthSource RI, which has 33,000 enrollees and also serves as a sign-up portal for Medicaid.
Raimondo’s budget proposes charging a 4.7% assessment on all individual health plans sold in Rhode Island, and a 1% assessment on all small-group health plans sold in the state.
Raimondo’s assessment rate would be set annually by the secretary of health and human services at whatever level is necessary to generate enough money to cover HealthSource RI’s budget.
(Excerpt) Read more at wpri.com ...
Why not tax these 33,000 people and leave everyone else alone.
“Wow, I sure didn’t see that coming” - said Mr. Magoo.
This makes sense: pay for medical care by hiking taxes on medical care. What could go wrong?
Maybe they could sell the rights to their EBT cards?
Perhaps the state could auction off a kidney or an eye, most have a spare?
Would you believe someone somewhere might purchase their offspring?
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