b96f0359   
   XPost: misc.consumers, alt.health, alt.politics.republicans   
   XPost: soc.culture.usa   
   From: nsmontassoc@yahoo.com   
      
   On 7/9/2012 11:20 AM, Private Bradley Manning wrote:   
   > "... the IRS has not yet issued procedures for taxpayers to prove they   
   > have insurance."   
   >   
   > But they'll come, soon enough!   
   >   
   > -----------------------------------   
   > "Reform law makes IRS the health care police   
   >   
   > By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER   
   > July 07, 2012   
   >   
   >   
   > Washington • The Supreme Court’s decision to uphold most of President   
   > Barack Obama’s health care law will come home to roost for most   
   > taxpayers in about 2½ years, when they’ll have to start providing   
   > proof on their tax returns that they have health insurance.   
   >   
   > That scenario puts the Internal Revenue Service at the center of the   
   > debate, renewing questions about whether the agency is capable of   
   > policing the health care decisions of millions of people in the United   
   > States while also collecting the taxes needed to run the federal   
   > government.   
   > Photos   
   >   
   > Under the law, the IRS will provide tax breaks and incentives to help   
   > pay for health insurance and impose penalties on some people who don’t   
   > buy coverage and on some businesses that don’t offer it to employees.   
   >   
   > The changes will require new regulations, forms and publications, new   
   > computer programs and a big new outreach program to explain it all to   
   > taxpayers and tax professionals. Businesses that don’t claim an   
   > exemption will have to prove they offer health insurance to employees.   
   >   
   > The health care law "includes the largest set of tax law changes in   
   > more than 20 years," according to the Treasury inspector general who   
   > oversees the IRS. The agency will have to hire thousands of workers to   
   > manage it, requiring significant budget increases that already are   
   > being targeted by congressional Republicans determined to dismantle   
   > the president’s signature initiative.   
   >   
   > "Knowing the complexity of the health law, there’s no question that   
   > the IRS is going to struggle with this," said Rep. Charles Boustany   
   > Jr., R-La., chairman of the House Ways and Means oversight   
   > subcommittee. "The IRS wants more resources. Well, we need to start   
   > digging down into what are they doing with the resources and   
   > personnel."   
   >   
   > Treasury spokeswoman Sabrina Siddiqui said, "The overwhelming majority   
   > of funds used by the agency to implement the Affordable Care Act go to   
   > administer the premium tax credits, which will be a tax cut averaging   
   > about $4,000 for more than 20 million middle-class people and   
   > families."   
   >   
   > The Supreme Court, in its 5-4 ruling, upheld the mandate that most   
   > Americans get health insurance. The majority said Congress has the   
   > power to enforce the mandate under its taxing authority. The decision   
   > labeled the penalties a tax, noting that they will be collected by the   
   > IRS.   
   >   
   > Those who don’t get qualified health insurance will be required to pay   
   > the penalty — or tax — starting for the 2014 tax year, unless they are   
   > exempt because of low income, religious beliefs, or because they are   
   > members of American Indian tribes.   
   >   
   > The penalty will be fully phased in by 2016, when it will be $695 for   
   > each uninsured adult or 2.5 percent of family income, whichever is   
   > greater, up to $12,500. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office   
   > estimates that 4 million people will pay the penalty that year.   
   >   
   > The law, however, severely limits the ability of the IRS to collect   
   > the penalties. There are no civil or criminal penalties for refusing   
   > to pay it and the IRS cannot seize bank accounts or dock wages to   
   > collect it. No interest accumulates for unpaid penalties.   
   >   
   > So how can the IRS enforce the mandate? Scary letters and threats to   
   > withhold tax refunds.   
   >   
   > The law allows the IRS to withhold tax refunds to collect the penalty,   
   > and most filers get refunds. This year, 77 percent of the 135 million   
   > individual income tax returns processed by the IRS qualified for a   
   > refund. The average refund: $2,707.   
   >   
   > For those who don’t qualify for a refund, a stern letter from the IRS   
   > can be effective, even if it doesn’t come with the threat of civil or   
   > criminal penalties, said Elizabeth Maresca, a former IRS trial   
   > attorney who supervises the Tax & Consumer Litigation Clinic at the   
   > Fordham University law school.   
   >   
   > "Most people pay because they’re scared, and I don’t think that’s   
   > going to change," Maresca said.   
   >   
   > The IRS has not yet issued procedures for taxpayers to prove they have   
   > insurance. But IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman, in a 2010 speech,   
   > said he envisioned a process similar to the one used by taxpayers to   
   > report interest or investment income.   
   >   
   > Under this scenario, an insurance company would send the taxpayer and   
   > the IRS forms each year verifying that the taxpayer has qualified   
   > insurance. Taxpayers would file the forms with the IRS along with   
   > their returns, and the IRS would check them to make sure they match   
   > the information supplied by the insurance companies.   
   >   
   > ---   cont.  ---   
   >   
   > http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/world/54448946-68/irs-tax-law-health.html.csp   
   >   
      
   Quote "Knowing the complexity of the health law, there’s no question   
   that the IRS is going to struggle with this," said Rep. Charles Boustany   
   Jr., R-La."   
      
   There's no question that an ignorant republican would struggle with it.   
   They're not the brightest bulbs on the tree nor does the elevator go to   
   the top floor!   
      
   All the idiot has to do is learn what Romney did in Massachusetts. It   
   works fine there.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)