Sunday, April 5, 2009

Massashusetts allows you to not pay for health insurance "because of sincerely-held religious beliefs"

Something I noticed while filling out my Massachusetts tax forms today:

"If you do not get health insurance because of sincerely-held religious beliefs, you can claim a religious exemption on the state tax forms."
http://www.mahealthconnector.org/portal/site/connector/menuitem.afc6a36a62ec1a50dbef6f47d7468a0c/?fiShown=default#q03

I wonder what religious beliefs those would be?

[Background: In Massachusetts, everyone must have health insurance. Consequently, more than 95% of people have health insurance here. But, if you are self-employed or work for an employer who does not provide health insurance, you have to buy health insurance and that can be expensive ($1000 a month or higher for family cover, if you have a reasonable income and don't get subsidized plan). Perhaps this plan will be extended to the entire US. ]

Also, I guess the text above should say "commonwealth tax forms".

1 comment:

MiscellanyEsq said...

I would assume the sincerely-held religious beliefs would be those of the Christian Scientists.