Obamacare Trumps Amishcare

The concept that the local community—rather than the federal government—is responsible for taking care of the sick is a foreign concept to most Americans. But the Amish still hold to that idea and back in January it looked like Amishcare would trump Obamacare .

Unfortunately for them, the government is finding a way to put them out of business: Force Amish-owned businesses to buy insurance—even if their employees are Amish.

If H.R. 3200 passes into law in its present form, it would require all Americans to buy health insurance.

The Amish, though, discourage owning any insurance in favor of taking care of themselves and each other.

A clause in the bill likely would allow most Amish families an exemption from the insurance requirement, but the bill could still create sticky issues for the young people who have not formally joined the church.

Of even more concern for many is the affect the bill could have on Amish-owned businesses.

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The bill would require all businesses, large or small, to provide some form of health insurance to their employees. Failure to do so would bring a penalty that for some businesses could run to tens of thousands of dollars.

Third District Congressman Mark Souder doesn’t think the individual exemption would extend to the business owners.

“I believe that any Amish business that works in a traditional commercial business will not be exempt from health care, especially since they use the emergency room,” Souder said. “The bottom line is that any group that chooses to use the public hospitals will have to come under helping to pay for them.”

Since Amish businesses typically employ mostly other Amish, few owners have offered health insurance.