Prosecution is authorized under the Code for a variety of offenses. Depending on the level of the noncompliance, the following penalties could apply to an individual:
• Section 7203 – misdemeanor willful failure to pay is punishable by a fine of up to $25,000 and/or imprisonment of up to one year.
• Section 7201 – felony willful evasion is punishable by a fine of up to $250,000 and/or imprisonment of up to five years.” [page 3]
When confronted with this same issue during its consideration of a similar individual mandate tax, the Senate Finance Committee worked on a bipartisan basis to include language in its bill that shielded Americans from civil and criminal penalties. The Pelosi bill, however, contains no similar language protecting American citizens from civil and criminal tax penalties that could include a $250,000 fine and five years in jail.
“The Senate Finance Committee had the good sense to eliminate the extreme penalty of incarceration. Speaker Pelosi’s decision to leave in the jail time provision is a threat to every family who cannot afford the $15,000 premium her plan creates. Fortunately, Republicans have an alternative that will lower health insurance costs without raising taxes or cutting Medicare,” said Camp.
According to the Congressional Budget Office the lowest cost family non-group plan under the Speaker’s bill would cost $15,000 in 2016.
Uh, earth to Congress: There is no way in hell that most American families will be able to afford that. I propose that we immediately confiscate the wealth/property of all Congressional members in order to assist us to pay for our health care. After all, they’re very interested in the poor, so I propose that they become the poor. No fair keeping that cushy Congressional insurance, either. That should be nationalized as well.
/And Kennedy should have been in a hospice without a doctor, as the Kennedy Memorial Health Care/Giant Fuck You America Plan will require of the rest of us.
kc said,
November 7, 2009 @ 5:58 am
I can’t say it any better than you, Swampie…but I’m also just a little hopeful this thing will die in the Senate.