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IRS: Cheapest Obamacare plan will be $20,000 per family

Examples point to families of four, five


Health care reform is definitely going to impact the average U.S. household in the pocketbook. The Internal Revenue Service, or IRS has assumed that under Obamacare the cheapest health insurance plan available in 2016 for a family will cost $20,000 for the year.

As published this week, the IRS has set in law the rules for implementing the penalty Americans must pay if they fail to obey Obamacare's mandate to buy insurance.

As published this week, the IRS has set in law the rules for implementing the penalty Americans must pay if they fail to obey Obamacare's mandate to buy insurance.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Under Obamacare, Americans will be required to buy health insurance or pay a penalty to the IRS.

The examples point to families of four and families of five, both of which the IRS expects in its assumptions to pay a minimum of $20,000 per year for a bronze plan.

"The annual national average bronze plan premium for a family of 5 (2 adults, 3 children) is $20,000," the regulation says.

Among all of the available plans, Bronze will be the lowest tier health-insurance plan available under Obamacare -- after Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Under the law, the penalty for not buying health insurance is supposed to be capped at either the annual average Bronze premium, 2.5 percent of taxable income, or $2,085.00 per family in 2016.

As published this week, the IRS has set in law the rules for implementing the penalty Americans must pay if they fail to obey Obamacare's mandate to buy insurance.

The IRS presented examples of different situations families might find themselves in.

The IRS assumes that families of five who are uninsured would need to pay an average of $20,000 per year to purchase a Bronze plan in 2016.

Using the conditions laid out in the regulations, the IRS calculates that a family earning $120,000 per year that did not buy insurance would need to pay a "penalty." which is a word the IRS still uses despite the Supreme Court ruling that it is in fact a "tax" of $2,400 in 2016.

For those wondering how clear the IRS's clarifications of this new "penalty" rule are, here is one of the actual examples the IRS gives:

"Example 3. Family without minimum essential coverage.

"(i) In 2016, Taxpayers H and J are married and file a joint return. H and J have three children: K, age 21, L, age 15, and M, age 10. No member of the family has minimum essential coverage for any month in 2016. H and J's household income is $120,000. H and J's applicable filing threshold is $24,000. The annual national average bronze plan premium for a family of 5 (2 adults, 3 children) is $20,000.

"(ii) For each month in 2016, under paragraphs (b)(2)(ii) and (b)(2)(iii) of this section, the applicable dollar amount is $2,780 (($695 x 3 adults) + (($695/2) x 2 children)). Under paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section, the flat dollar amount is $2,085 (the lesser of $2,780 and $2,085 ($695 x 3)). Under paragraph (b)(3) of this section, the excess income amount is $2,400 (($120,000 - $24,000) x 0.025). Therefore, under paragraph (b)(1) of this section, the monthly penalty amount is $200 (the greater of $173.75 ($2,085/12) or $200 ($2,400/12)).

"(iii) The sum of the monthly penalty amounts is $2,400 ($200 x 12). The sum of the monthly national average bronze plan premiums is $20,000 ($20,000/12 x 12). Therefore, under paragraph (a) of this section, the shared responsibility payment imposed on H and J for 2016 is $2,400 (the lesser of $2,400 or $20,000)."

© 2013, Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM.

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Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
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The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
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Keywords: IRS, Obamacare, families, tax penalty

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1 - 3 of 3 Comments

  1. Emma
    3 months ago

    Let's stop calling this "Obamacare " and return to calling it what it was originally promoted as being : "The Affordable Care Act ". My question now becomes, "Affordable for WHO? " My family, because my husband is self employed, is now placed in the position of choosing between keeping our home, heating it or being taxed out of it. I suppose we could choose not to work, then it would become "affordable ". The other option would be to self report less income and hope that we don't get audited. Yes. A lot of us are being forced to make difficult choices. We were lied to in so many ways. That's what happens when so many trust their elected officials to do their jobs and actually READ the legislation that they're signing. "Give unto Caesar what is Caesar's " comes to mind. Trouble is, I don't believe that all that we've worked so hard to obtain belongs to Caesar. I have no complaint about paying my fair share, but I would like to keep some of what we earn. Compounded with new taxes in California, we are seriously investigating other countries where we can work and raise our family.

  2. Jerry N
    3 months ago

    Obamadrones who read articles like this one will be thinking, "who cares what it costs, my employer pays for my insurance, not me!". Guess again, peabrain, because the more your employer is forced by government to pay for your healthcare, the less the employer will pay you.

    The outrageous health insurance cost being mandated by Obamacare will also cause many, if not most, employers to drop as many full-time employees as possible, hire contractors, and leave individuals to fend for themselves.

  3. rafaelmarie
    3 months ago

    GOD WILL FOIL YOUR PLANS FOR A UTOPIA!

    THE MORE YOU STRUGGLE AGAINST THE CROSS, THE MORE THE CROSS WILL CRUSH YOU!

    WATCH NOW THE UTOPIANS WILL BLAME THOSE WHO CARRY THEIR CROSS AND INSTITUTE MORE OPPRESSIVE SOCIALISTIC LEGISLATION!

    VOTING FOR OBAMA IN HOPES OF FIXING SOCIAL ILLS ON TOP THE MOUNTAIN OF THE MILLIONS OF THE UNBORN WILL ONLY RESULT IN DISASTER!

    CONSIDER YOURSELVES WARNED!!!

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