Dave Camp protests Pelosi's health care bill.

Excerpts from the JCT letter:

“H.R. 3962 provides that an individual (or a husband and wife in the case of a joint return) who does not, at any time during the taxable year, maintain acceptable health insurance coverage for himself or herself and each of his or her qualifying children is subject to an additional tax.” [page 1]

“If the government determines that the taxpayer’s unpaid tax liability results from willful behavior, the following penalties could apply…” [page 2]

“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]

While it is a step or two removed from not buying health insurance, non-compliance could lead to prison time.  The Senate struck similar measures from their health care bill after the public and Republicans protested.

Afterward, Camp was quoted as saying, “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.”

Mr. Camp used the $15,000 figure based on the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office’s estimate that the lowest non-group family plan under the Pelosi bill will be $15,000 per year by the year 2016.  The Pelosi bill is expected to be voted on this weekend, outside of the normal media cycle.  As of this reporting, media outlets are stating that Ms. Pelosi may not have the votes needed to pass the bill in its current form.