<p>But students who unexpectedly got a great job that brought them over the limit could call that a qualifying event that allowed them to purchase insurance outside of the enrollment period, couldn’t they?</p>
<p>I’ve forgotten where the money actually is, pooch — if dstark’s spent it, you’re screwed – but I’d wait till the final, super-official, outside audited numbers are in before conceding:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2014/03/cover_oregon_health_insurance_1.html”>http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2014/03/cover_oregon_health_insurance_1.html</a></p>
<p>Y’all did specify only legal enrolles, right?</p>
<p>But many students will be covered by their parents, maybe through the school. What my kids do have to do is report back if and when they get jobs after June. Both well under 26, one to grad in May and one '13 grad on a grant through early June.</p>
<p>Yes, but the penalty is prorated over the year while income is not.</p>
<p>So the student who gets hired in August and earns enough to be subject to a penalty, and buys a policy effective Sept 1-- but didn’t bother to sign up for insurance by March – would face a prorated penalty for the months of April-August. Practically that may not be all that much money – but it is still an added charge to pay, and a reason why its worth signing up for Medicaid now. </p>
<p>Tell me why anyone would voluntarily pay a penalty. The only way the IRS can enforce the penalty is to take if from your refund. All you have to do is adjust your withholding so you won’t have a refund. There are no criminal or civil penalties for not paying the Obamacare penalty. If I owed this tax, there is no way I would ever pay it. </p>
<p>TatinG, according to Rasmussen, there have been millions of people who have been hurt by the law.</p>
<p>My kids are on my policy. </p>
<p>GP raised the idea of enrolling and then not paying, Now wants to go up against the IRS. </p>
<p>What Dr. Singer is experiencing with the law is shared by many in the medical profession. His take on what is happening to his profession and on the quality of health care in this country is hardly political. I know many doctors who agree with him.</p>
<p>Tatin, Rasmussen is a polling company with a certain point of view, and their polling results reflect that. They don’t have a great track record for accuracy. </p>
<p>^^disagree. They are legit. The point being that more than twice as many say they’ve been hurt over those who say they’ve been helped.</p>
<p>I’d like to see a survey of doctors across the country. Find some report from a medical convention where all attendees were polled. Ask others, before any poll, how educated they are on ACA, to qualify them. </p>
<p>Or go out on the street like whatever late night show it was and ask them which they think is worse: Obamacare or ACA-- and get “serious” answers.</p>
<p>How were they personally hurt? What does it tell us that 33% had their insurance changed because of the new law? Mine did. “For the second month in a row, 31% expect the health care system to get better under the new law, the highest level of optimism to date.” And so it goes.</p>
<p>“For the first time in nearly a year, fewer than 50% expect the health care system to get worse under Obamacare.” </p>
<p>Hurting is worse than helping. Hurting people to give other people something for free is just mean, imho. </p>
<p>Helping uninsured people who can’t afford insurance is one thing but to do it by taking drugs and doctors from the sick to give more to the healthy is really just a crazy, unjustifiable mess. And, the execution is frighteningly bad.</p>
<p>Sorry.</p>
<p>Only 33 percent say their insurance is worse. That is a great number. That means 81 percent
Think their insurance is the same or better. 
And no…I am not bsing. </p>
<p>I am very happy that those that make the decisions are better in math than a few of those that post here. :)</p>
<p>DStark, people are not numbers. If that 33-percent includes sick people who are hurt it’s not a nice number. This end justifies the means stuff is very aggravating, But, I’m making dinner, so whatever.</p>
<p>Enjoy your dinner…but there are quite a few sick people that are better off today. Nowhere was it mentioned how many of that 33 percent paltry number are sick and worse off. </p>
<p>Reading all the anecdotes that are posted here, it is obvious not many sick are worse off.</p>
<p>I am thinking most community college students in California are using it as a stepping stone to 4 year colleges rather than find that lucrative job allowing them to pay those big fines. :D</p>
<p>By “hurt” do we mean people being charged more than they used to be, because they insist on using ultra-expensive hospitals?</p>
<p>When I signed up for health insurance on the Healthcare.gov federal exchange I estimated my 2014 income, and I recall that at some point… I think they said around March, which is now… I would be required to verify my income. I don’t know how to do that, and the healthcare.gov website and Mr Google so far have been no help. </p>
<p>Texas, community colleges offer a variety of 2-year career oriented associate’s degrees and certificates. For example, a student could train to become an EMT; a medical transcriptionist; a paralegal; an automotive technician, or learn about computer configuration and networking. Those are just examples – there are probably a few hundred different vocational-oriented programs that could be pursued. </p>
<p>So yeah, I understand that in CC-world my niece’s community college degree in cosmetology is beneath contempt … but in the real world there are many, many student who will go straight into the work force after completing a community college program, whether or not they hope to eventually get a 4 year degree. </p>
<p>It does’t take “big bucks” to be subject to a penalty for not buying insurance – the person just needs to earn enough to have to pay taxes. </p>
<p>My son quit college at age 20 and went to work. He had no degree and no skills. His first full year out he earned about $25K. That was more than 10 years ago. He happened to work for an agency that gave him health insurance at the time – but the point is that you don’t need a 4 year degree in order to have a job that pays enough to trigger the ACA health coverage requirements. </p>
<p>California is supposed to have the best feeder system from community college to 4 year college in the country. I went to a whole bunch of presentations around the country and I did not understand why UCB people were talking forever about how to move from community college to UCB which made no sense to me at that time (no texas school presentations spend time discussing such a thing since there is no such program supporting it).</p>
<p>So yeah - I don’t understand the expectation that they all join workforce, at least in California</p>
<p>CC transfers are actually the exception rather than the rule. There is a very good program but not that many use it,. The transfer rate is 30 to 40 percent at the best CC’s. And far less than that do it in 2 years for a variety of reasons involving picking a major, getting classes, showing up, and passing, And then there is always that complicating factor of paying tuition. That’s another place that many students find themselves stuck. I’m always amazed at the people who are aimlessly at a CC for years and years taking things like choir, but it happens. Some go backwards. They leave a university for whatever reason, come home, and enroll in CC. I’m thinking there is no plan.</p>
<p>Also, those vocational programs such as EMT are filled with a large number of students repeating the class. It is slow going. </p>