Fines in Place for Those Without Massachusetts Health Insurance
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According to the journal, anyone who doesn't have coverage is now liable for serious penalties of up to $912 for individuals and $1,824 for couples. "The fines are part of an increasingly aggressive approach written into the health care law designed to pressure Massachusetts residents into getting insurance."
The fines are based on the idea that there are many uninsured people in Massachusetts who could afford to purchase medical coverage if they wanted to. The penalties apply only to adults deemed able to afford Massachusetts health insurance by the Health Insurance Connector Authority, which oversees the health care law.
But how do they decide who can and can't afford coverage?
It's complicated, and based on those who make more than the federal poverty level. But it's going to be difficult to find the line between affordable and financially burdensome medical coverage.
However, at the same time those who do purchase Massachusetts health insurance will now be able to enjoy a tax break, and studies do prove that those who have even basic coverage, and who see their doctor for yearly checkups, can protect themselves against diseases that could otherwise lead straight to medical debt.