What does everyone think of this?
[begin quoting]
Penalties to rise for shunning insurance
State healthcare levy could exceed $900
By Jeffrey Krasner
Globe Staff / January 1, 2008
Penalties for Massachusetts residents who can afford health insurance
but do not purchase it in 2008 could quadruple compared with the
maximum penalty in 2007, according to draft regulations released by
the Department of Revenue yesterday.
The maximum penalty for those who flout the law and do not buy health
insurance would be $912 a year, compared to $219 in 2007.
The higher penalty is intended to get those who are on the fence to
buy health insurance. For those wavering, it could make more sense to
pay for insurance than to pay the penalty.
The proposed penalties also drive home the full impact of the health
reform law's personal mandate principle. This approach makes buying
health insurance a responsibility of all residents, similar to the way
drivers are required to purchase auto insurance. The penalty was
enacted to spur residents to purchase insurance rather than rely on
the care hospitals are still required to provide to patients
regardless of coverage or ability to pay. [end excerpt]
http://www.boston.com/business/globe/articles/2008/01/01/penalties_to_rise_for_shunning_insurance/
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