Lawmakers in this Midwestern state have agreed to let residents vote on the federal mandate requiring individuals to buy health insurance or pay a penalty.
Missouri legislators recently gave final approval to House Bill No. 1764, which will put the issue of whether an individual should be required to buy health insurance or pay a penalty on the Aug. 3 ballot.
It will ask voters whether state statutes should be amended to “deny the government authority to penalize citizens for refusing to purchase private health insurance or infringe upon the right to offer or accept direct payment for lawful health care services.”
The recently passed Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act requires individuals (who are not already covered under an employer-provided plan) to purchase health coverage by 2014. Those that don’t will be forced to pay a penalty.
It’s not clear whether the passage of a state measure like Missouri’s would have any effect on federal law.
We’ll keep you posted.
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