In Plain English: The Affordable Care Act, including its individual mandate that virtually all Americans buy health insurance, is constitutional. There were not five votes to uphold it on the ground that Congress could use its power to regulate commerce between the states to require everyone to buy health insurance. However, five Justices agreed that the penalty that someone must pay if he refuses to buy insurance is a kind of tax that Congress can impose using its taxing power. That is all that matters. Because the mandate survives, the Court did not need to decide what other parts of the statute were constitutional, except for a provision that required states to comply with new eligibility requirements for Medicaid or risk losing their funding. On that question, the Court held that the provision is constitutional as long as states would only lose new funds if they didn't comply with the new requirements, rather than all of their funding.
This morning I was awoken by my alarm clock powered by electricity generated by the public power monopoly regulated by the US department of energy. I then took a shower in the clean water provided by the municipal water utility. After that, I turned on the TV to one of the FCC regulated channels to see what the national weather service of the national oceanographic and atmospheric administration determined the weather was going to be like using satellites designed, built, and launched by the national aeronautics and space administration. I watched this while eating my breakfast of US department of agriculture inspected food and taking the drugs which have been determined as safe by the food and drug administration.
At the appropriate time as regulated by the US congress and kept accurate by the national institute of standards and technology and the US naval observatory, I get into my national highway traffic safety administration approved automobile and set out to work on the roads build by the local, state, and federal departments of transportation, possibly stopping to purchase additional fuel of a quality level determined by the environmental protection agency, using legal tender issed by the federal reserve bank. On the way out the door I deposit any mail I have to be sent out via the US postal service and drop the kids off at the public school.
After spending another day not being maimed or killed at work thanks to the workplace regulations imposed by the department of labor and the occupational safety and health administration, enjoying another two meals which again do not kill me because of the USDA, I drive my NHTSA car back home on the DOT roads, to my house which has not burned down in my absence because of the state and local building codes and fire marshal's inspection, and which has not been plundered of all it's valuables thanks to the local police department.
I then log on to the internet which was developed by the defense advanced research projects administration and post on freerepublic.com and fox news forums about how SOCIALISM in medicine is BAD because the government can't do anything right.
Wiz. said:Also side question: Do you guys have insurance?
Mr West said:Congress can regulate interstate commerce, health insurance is interstate commerce.
/thread
Wiz. said:Basically the conflict lies in a part of the law which states by 2014, EVERY American citizen will have to purchase healthcare or face a tax penalty. The law also ensures that no one is denied healthcare if they have a pre-existing condition or not.
Shy said:Nope. Was insured all my life. Until around about....5 months ago? I'm 22. Found out a chick friend of mine whom is also 22 is not insured as well.
We just out here.
I think the law also states you're covered under your parents until you turn 26. But after that if you can't get a job then you're screwed.Shy said:If you're in school, paying for shit, high car insurance because of your age....what the hell are we supposed to do?
Basically:Masked Mamba said:To be honest, I have no idea what Obamacare actually is. Like the deatails of it.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 significantly changed health care in the U.S., making insurance available to 32 million more Americans -- a total of 95% of the legal population. The Act is being phased in over three years. By 2014, every citizen will be required to have health insurance, or face a penalty. However, they can choose how to get coverage. If they're already have a plan, either through their employer, through Medicaid or Medicare, or privately, they can keep it. Those can't currently get health insurance will have an additional option -- they can purchase it from a state-based health insurance exchange.
bobbyb said:Already exists in Massachusetts
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11689698
Old news
Wiz. said:This a federal law though.
Wiz. said:I believe I'm still insured but other members of my family aren't. It's a really confusing thing to me honestly. Personally I would support a universal system.
I think the law also states you're covered under your parents until you turn 26. But after that if you can't get a job then you're screwed.
Basically:
Masked Mamba said:I think Obamacare means high taxes and trillions of dollars. But whatever, our children and grandchildren will pay for it right?![]()
Shy said:But we can all win because they can just shove it off to their grandchildren.
bobbyb said:I understand completely. I was showing an example of the system already in place on a small scale
Masked Mamba said:100 trillion dollar deficit. Borrowing money from china so we can become their slaves when it comes time to pay them back.