AP is reporting that Senate President Travaglini and House Speaker DiMasi have at long last come to agreement on a health care reform bill. A vote in both chambers is scheduled for tomorrow. The AP report says that the bill includes a per-employee surcharge on employers who don’t provide health insurance, as has been previously announced, as well as an individual mandate applicable to everyone in the state as long as coverage is “deemed affordable” (whatever that means).
“Governor” Romney will undoubtedly make a big show of evaluating whether the employer assessment is a “tax” that he has to veto in order to keep Grover Norquist and his Abramoff-lovin’ buddies happy. Most likely, of course, the legislature will pass this bill by veto-proof margins in both chambers anyway, so all Romney can realistically do is slow things down.
In any event, Gov. candidate Deval Patrick has issued a statement urging Romney to “do the right thing and sign this bill.” We anxiously await word on the positions of other gubernatorial candidates, such as Tom Reilly, Christy Mihos, and Kerry Healey, as to what they think the “Governor” should do. This is a big issue, and it’s going to continue to be big. We need to know where the candidates stand on it. It’s a lot more important than anyone’s tax returns.
John McDonough has posted the bill, a powerpoint and summary on HCFA’s web site. Go to John’s blog for a link.
to the docs on the ACT website.
Is the new plan requiring the $295 even if there is nobody eligible for a plan?
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Self employed person, on spouse’s plan. Two part time employees, both on thier spouse’s plan.
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Does self employed person have to pay even thoguh all three are covered, because there’s NOBODY TO BUY THE INSURANCE????
to businesses with more than 10 employees. The possibility of scenarios like those still exists, and I don’t know how they would play out, but the particular situation you describe isn’t covered by the bill.
What happens is that you provide proof that you’re insured elsewhere to your employer. I did this when I was on my wife’s insurance. My company had me sign something, which was sent to some mysterious state agency (this was a couple years back, so I don’t remember the specifics).
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I see no reason why this would not continue.