One of the problems with any proposed law that’s over 1,000 pages long and constantly changing is that much deviltry can lie in the details. Take the Democrats’ proposal to rewrite health care policy, better known as H.R. 3200 or by opponents as “Obamacare.” (Here’s our CBS News television coverage.)
Section 431(a) of the bill says that the IRS must divulge taxpayer identity information, including the filing status, the modified adjusted gross income, the number of dependents, and “other information as is prescribed by” regulation. That information will be provided to the new Health Choices Commissioner and state health programs and used to determine who qualifies for “affordability credits.”
Section 245(b)(2)(A) says the IRS must divulge tax return details — there’s no specified limit on what’s available or unavailable — to the Health Choices Commissioner. The purpose, again, is to verify “affordability credits.”
Section 1801(a) says that the Social Security Administration can obtain tax return data on anyone who may be eligible for a “low-income prescription drug subsidy” but has not applied for it.
Over at the Institute for Policy Innovation (a free-market think tank and presumably no fan of Obamacare), Tom Giovanetti argues that: “How many thousands of federal employees will have access to your records? The privacy of your health records will be only as good as the most nosy, most dishonest and most malcontented federal employee…. So say good-bye to privacy from the federal government. It was fun while it lasted for 233 years.”
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These guys are just keeping up with the Jones on issues like this. Canadians wouldn’t be surprised, because we already do that here. Silly Amerikkkans. What took them so long?
Anyone who thinks we have any privacy anymore is delusional.
mid island mike
I’ve been active in taxes for lengthier then I care to admit, both on the individual side (all my working life story!!) and from a legal standpoint since passing the bar and following up on tax law. I’ve furnished a lot of advice and rectified a lot of wrongs, and I must say that what you’ve posted makes impeccable sense. Please carry on the good work – the more people know the better they’ll be armed to cope with the tax man, and that’s what it’s all about.