Kids of the Working Poor to Remain Uninsured Under "Health Care Reform"

Looks like the working poor just got screwed again. A portion of the new law which was supposed to limit the out of pocket for a family's employer sponsored insurance to less that 9.5% (a huge chunk if you are skating on the edge of poverty) is now being interpreted by the IRS as limiting the family's out of pocket to 9.5% of the income for the worker's insurance only. This is a big win/win for both health insurers (who like to insure workers, because, hey, they are healthy enough to work, so there can't be much wrong with them) and employers (who want their employees to get well as fast as possible so they can get back to work). However, it means that if your employer offers family coverage that will eat up 20% of your paycheck and you think you can't live off 80% of what you used to bring home, the government is not going to help your spouse or kids get insurance. In some cases, it will mean that the kids will no longer be eligible for SCHIP--meaning that the new law is costing them insurance.

The IRS has graciously decided not to charge the children of the working poor a penalty for being unable to afford insurance. Aw, how sweet of them.

At the risk of offending administration supporters, I smell a big, fat carrot/rat. As in health care is still being used as a carrot to get voters to the polls. The working poor (whose kids will be unable to get check ups, get asthma treatment etc.) will be told "It isn't our fault. Our hands are tied. Congress has to fix this loophole in the law. But the Republican House won't."

Which begs the question, if the IRS can unilaterally decide not to tax the kids who can not afford insurance, why can't the IRS decide that the 9.5% was supposed to cover both workers and their kids?

30 million people will remain uninsured in 2016---and many of them will be children. Stop playing politics with the health of our kids! Declare a national healthcare emergency, open Medicare up to all children. Then stand back and watch how quickly the privates drop their rates for coverage of children.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/31/us/politics/irs-to-base-insurance-affordability-on-single-coverage.html?ref=health