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Administration adds hardship exemption to ObamaCare's individual mandate
UPI ^ | 3/13/2014 | JC Sevcik

Posted on 03/14/2014 1:55:01 AM PDT by markomalley

Health and Human service released a seven page bulletin Wednesday announcing the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service's decision to extend the transitional policy of the Affordable Care Act by two years, to Oct. 1, 2016.

Effectively, this makes the individual mandate -- the requirement that all individuals purchase insurance by the end of March or face a tax penalty -- considered by many to be the backbone of the Affordable Care Act, an option one can opt out of rather than a requirement.

The transitional policy allows for hardship exemption from the tax penalty if an individual can’t afford to sign up for coverage. Previously, exemptions were only offered in extreme cases -- such as bankruptcy, eviction, or homelessness -- and required documentation, while the current language allows users to seek exemption if they “consider other available policies unaffordable" or if they “experienced another hardship in obtaining health insurance," and only requires "documentation if possible.”

Critics claim the individual mandate was “the core” of ObamaCare, citing the insurance industry’s concern that it would only be able to afford to insure the elderly and those with preexisting conditions if the individual mandate forced millions of healthy young Americans to pay for policies as well.

Fox News called the move a “death knell” for ObamaCare and the New York Post says Obama’s administration has given up on making the ACA work.

The Wall Street Journal says, “our sources in the insurance industry are worried the regulatory loophole sets a mandate non-enforcement precedent, and they're probably right. The longer it is not enforced, the less likely any President will enforce it.” This concern comes in the same week Congress attempted to pass a bill that would allow them to sue the president for not enforcing the law.

Whether the loosening of the individual mandate actually belies the end of ObamaCare or simply makes the Affordable Care Act more compassionate to those who can’t afford care remains to be seen.


TOPICS: Front Page News; Government
KEYWORDS: affordablecareact; hardshipexemption; individualmandate; obamacare
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From the hardship application:

So if you think that paying the penalty would be a hardship, then...no problems!

1 posted on 03/14/2014 1:55:01 AM PDT by markomalley
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To: markomalley
Dem Congressman Gets Creepy, Sings to Himself to Avoid Obamacare Questions
2 posted on 03/14/2014 2:02:55 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
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To: markomalley
The transitional policy allows for hardship exemption

Whatever happened to the 30 million uninsured Husseincare was designed to cover? Are they still left out as well?

3 posted on 03/14/2014 2:16:06 AM PDT by Libloather (Embrace the suck)
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To: markomalley

Obozo is repealing his own law step by step.

But Heaven forbid Republicans suggest these same things!


4 posted on 03/14/2014 3:06:16 AM PDT by Red in Blue PA (When Injustice becomes Law, Resistance Becomes Duty.-Thomas Jefferson)
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To: All

Obamacare Mandate Delay Confusion

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2014/03/13/obamacare_mandate_delay_confusion

Your Host Claims Hardship

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2014/03/13/your_host_claims_hardship

The Unaffordable Care Act

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2014/03/13/the_unaffordable_care_act


5 posted on 03/14/2014 3:32:09 AM PDT by sheikdetailfeather (Yuri Bezmenov (KGB Defector) - "Kick The Communists Out of Your Govt. & Don't Accept Their Goodies.")
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To: markomalley

I like the proof/documentation requirement for being a victim of domestic abuse... “NONE”.

Jackpot!


6 posted on 03/14/2014 3:38:55 AM PDT by Rodamala
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To: markomalley

I thought it was a tax?How can you say one doesn’t have to pay a mandatory tax and everyone else has to?


7 posted on 03/14/2014 3:39:36 AM PDT by ballplayer
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To: markomalley

Hmmmm. Doesn’t this vindicate Ted Cruz?


8 posted on 03/14/2014 3:45:53 AM PDT by BlueStateRightist (Government is best which governs least.)
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To: Rodamala
I like the proof/documentation requirement for being a victim of domestic abuse... “NONE”.

So if I claim I'm abused by my dog, I'm home free? COOL!!

9 posted on 03/14/2014 3:47:14 AM PDT by upchuck (South Carolina Representative Trey Gowdy for Speaker of the House!!!)
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To: markomalley

What we are going to wind up with is millions more on medicaid and no individual actually paying their own way.


10 posted on 03/14/2014 3:55:40 AM PDT by Graybeard58 (God is not the author of confusion. 1 Cor 13: 33)
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To: markomalley

Now, ALLOW my former health insurance company to give me the plan and rate I used to have and could AFFORD, and I will once again be insured as the responsible person I have always been until Marxist Obama decided to be was going to make life better for us.


11 posted on 03/14/2014 4:00:39 AM PDT by Bluebird Singing
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To: ballplayer

Only us individuals, who pay for our own insurance were being held to this ripoff ahead of everybody else who were enjoying their delay, granted by His HighneSs. TAXED unfairly.


12 posted on 03/14/2014 4:05:48 AM PDT by Bluebird Singing
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To: markomalley

'You're welcome.'

13 posted on 03/14/2014 4:06:32 AM PDT by Ken H (What happens on the internet, stays on the internet.)
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To: Ken H

‘You’re welcome.’

ok, I have to ask.
did you mean, “you’re welcome”, as in thank you for screwing us justice Roberts.
or
“you’re welcome”, that I showed the country what a disaster obamacare is.


14 posted on 03/14/2014 4:49:40 AM PDT by willywill
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To: markomalley

While I welcome this action, it still doesn’t address that fact that MILLIONS more people are going to be uninsured BECAUSE of OBAMACARE.


15 posted on 03/14/2014 5:24:41 AM PDT by austinaero
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To: BlueStateRightist
Doesn’t this vindicate Ted Cruz?

Everything Obama does domestically vindicates Ted Cruz. And everything Obama does internationally vindicates Sarah Palin.

16 posted on 03/14/2014 6:12:40 AM PDT by Leaning Right (Why am I holding this lantern? I am looking for the next Reagan.)
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To: markomalley

By the time Oct, 2016, it will be delayed again, since Hillary will be running for president. Or it could really impact her.

One thing I thought about, is that obammacare will not be fully implemented until after obamma leaves office. To cause obamma’s successor to fix everything.


17 posted on 03/14/2014 6:14:42 AM PDT by rawhide
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To: Ken H

I have such a disdain for that man, John Roberts! How can he even sleep at night, especially seeing the trainwreck obammacare has turned into!!


18 posted on 03/14/2014 6:16:24 AM PDT by rawhide
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To: markomalley

It’s too bad the damage has already been done and moves like this just add to the confusion and uncertainty.


19 posted on 03/14/2014 6:41:31 AM PDT by headstamp 2 (What would Scooby do?)
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To: markomalley

This will be followed with a huge bailout of the insurance companies.


20 posted on 03/14/2014 6:54:53 AM PDT by headstamp 2 (What would Scooby do?)
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