This was a comment I posted to one of the Obamacare sites. Fuck Obamacare.
So we got a penalty this year. Although by all calculations we fell below the % formula. Even our CPA didn’t understand why we were penalized when the AGI x 8.05% income number was below the cost of a crappy Bronze plan. ?? A Bronze plan that costs $521/mo (supposedly after a subsidy? Maybe? Who knows? We never could determine how to figure or get a subsidy.) with $8k deductible! LOL On which planet is this a good plan?
Nick’s job is ENDING this year and we are putting every available penny into savings. We canNOT afford $521 for nothing. And it is for nothing. Our total medical expense last year (including dentist, eyes, etc.) was $1700. So we are supposed to pay out $6252 for useless insurance that covers NOTHING until we spend $8000 on top of that? Uh, NOPE.
I just did the subsidy calculator. No idea whether we could get one or not – it doesn’t really tell you one way or the other. I did the penalty calculator. It said our penalty was $1500… The actual penalty was $563, done by the CPA’s software, which was withheld from our tax return. Seems to me that NO ONE really knows what the fuck is going on. Our CPA said he had no idea what was going on, but the software said we had to pay the penalty. So we did. NO IDEA if we had to or not. That is beyond fucked up. On top of this drama? Our tax returns this year are almost exactly what they were last year. ?? Did we actually pay a penalty last year and the CPA didn’t know? Were we to get a bigger refund this year? Who the fuck knows?
I’m so upset that we were penalized and I can’t figure out why.
HOW DOES THIS MAKE SENSE TO ANYONE? IT IS RIDICULOUS TO BE TAXED AND NOT BE ABLE TO DISCERN HOW THAT TAX WAS FIGURED. IT IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
WHEN WILL AMERICANS REALISE THAT INSURANCE IS THE PROBLEM NOT THE CURE?
No civilised country in the world is held hostage by insurance companies. NONE. Just the US. Abolish insurance and pay Drs, hospitals and all other health care workers DIRECTLY for their work. It’s that simple. Before insurance became our Lords and Masters, people would go to the Dr, pay for the visit, then go to the pharmacy and get their meds. Simple. Why is it heresy to want that back?
We are looking into leaving this country. We are nearing retirement and we don’t want to end up destitute like many have in our families. Going bankrupt to receive medical care is wrong. And even the care you get here sucks compared to other countries. Hell, CUBA has better care than we do. That is pathetic. Add to that the possibility of that horrible Trump being elected and it’s on the table that we will become EU citizens. This country has become an untenable MESS.