That's right H.R. 3590. Not familiar H.R. 3590? Well, I'm almost 99.5% sure that you are familiar with this bill. I'm 99.9% that you are aware of the act that was approved based on the provisions encompassing this bill. H.R. 3590 is officially known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. This act is also known as Obamacare. I'm not going down the path of a political debate of republicans vs democrats and who's right or wrong. I'm going right down to heart of issue and how this issue effects working Americans. In fact my issue is not with the entire Act that is intended to provide a better quality of life to Americans. I'm all for providing a better standard of living for the people of this great country. Who wouldn't be the Preamble reads "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility,... promote the general Welfare".
My issue is with section 9003 and 9013. This is a section that meant nothing to me until January 1, 2011. That was the day this section starting having a negative impact on my wallet. This section actually increases that cost of administering medical, health and well being services. This section of law may have effected, the way in which you manage the cost of health care for your family. Section 9003 effects that way we use Health Care Accounts(HSA) and Flexible Spending Arrangements(FSA) accounts. As of January 1st you are no longer able to use either of these accounts to purchase Over the counter(OTC) medications without a prescription. Meaning you have to see a doctor before you can use your FSA account to pick up a bottle of aspirin from CVS, on your way home from a long day at work.
FSA and HSA accounts are not some form of elaborate instruments created and used by the wealthy to avoid taxation. These funds are used by working Americans to plan and pay for medical expenses by setting aside pre-tax payroll earnings. Funds deposited into these account can only be used for medical expenses. These accounts we meant to ease the burden of medical expense placed on the backs of working American. Now if you need a Tylenol for back pain you better see your doctor first and get a prescription. Let's count the cost time off work, plus cost of doctors visit, plus the cost of the Tylenol. Yeah I guess that makes sense to me. Increase the hurdle and reduce amount of people using FSA and HSA accounts brilliant. This is yet another example of a system that is failing the people who need the care the most. You can put pearls on a pig but it's still a pig.
During the frenzy and debate around this act it was always about helping hard working Americans. Reducing interference from medical companies, but here we are increasing the cost of obtaining OTCs and increasing medical related taxation. Section 9013 increases the adjusted gross income threshold for claiming the itemized deduction for medical expense form 7.5% to 10% beginning after 2012 and this is called the Affordable Care Act.
Well the only thing that I can say is get involved contact and members of Congress. Remember these people work for us, but they only do what they are asked. A few bills have been proposed to repeal this section of law. I am not proposing repealing the entire act, I am proposing that each of us take a closer look at a law that effect us all.
