Federal Health Care Law Upheld

The U.S. Supreme Court has decided that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 is constitutional. The basis for its decision: that the penalty for not carrying health coverage starting in 2014 (called the individual mandate) is really a tax and that this taxing power is within Congress’s authority.

What does this mean for you? Provisions of the law that have already taken effect, such as the ability to cover children up to age 26 on a parent’s health plan, continue to be effective. Tax rules set to take effect under this law in 2013 include:

• Higher adjusted gross income threshold of 10% for itemizing medical expenses not covered by insurance (those 65 and older continue to use the 7.5% threshold until 2016).
• Reduced limitation on flexible spending accounts (FSAs) of $2,500 per year (adjusted for inflation after 2013).
• Additional Medicare tax of 0.9% on wages and self-employment income over $200,000 ($250,000 for joint filers).
• Additional Medicare tax of 3.8% on net investment income for those with AGI over $200,000 ($250,000 for joint filers).

Of course, a change in the political makeup of Washington in the November election could mean the end to this law, with new health care provisions—and taxes to pay for them—in the future.