Advocates fear tax-credit rule will exclude some from health-care benefit
Source: Washington Post
Consumer advocates, physician groups and several Democratic lawmakers are fighting a quiet battle over a key benefit in the health-care law: tax credits to help millions of people purchase insurance.
At issue is a section of the law that outlines when low- and moderate-income employees can opt out of their employer’s coverage and instead get federal subsidies to buy insurance through new state-based marketplaces, called exchanges.
The debate over who qualifies for subsidies has been overshadowed by more polarizing issues such as the government’s authority to require most people to buy insurance. But if the Supreme Court upholds the law — or even most of the law — the way the tax-credit dispute is resolved will help determine how many people can get subsidized coverage.
A proposed Treasury Department rule says workers and their families cannot qualify for those subsidies unless their employer’s plan is unaffordable because it exceeds 9.5 percent of their household income.
Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/advocates-fear-tax-credit-rule-will-exclude-some-from-health-care-benefit/2012/04/15/gIQAJuW6JT_singlePage.html
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Unless we're talking about the tips that the insurance companies leave for congressional staff.
The companies will lavish huge amounts on the members of congress and provide job offers for members and staff to gain their votes. Big pharma did this to ensure that medicare can't negotiate drug prices. The insurance industry will make Pharma money look like peanuts.
I agree that ACA is a benefit to insurers, or at least it does no harm to insurers. But the Supremes vote largely on ideology. They have it made for life, so can afford to ignore much of the economic arguments. I have no clue how they'll vote on ACA.
