'A Public Safety Disaster': Obamacare Could Force THOUSANDS of Volunteer Fire Departments to Close

[Duaine]

The Affordable Care Act forces companies with more than 50 workers to buy them all health insurance or pay hefty fines

The IRS says volunteer firefighters are 'employees,' even though the Department of Labor says they're 'volunteers'

Out of more than 1 million fire departments in the U.S., 87 per cent are staffed entirely or mostly by life-saving volunteers

Members of Congress are weighing in, but the Obama administration hasn't taken any action yet to carve out a fire-fighting exception

Volunteer fire departments all across the U.S. could find themselves out of money and unable to operate unless Congress or the Obama Administration exempts them from the Affordable Care Act.

'I thought the kinks were worked out of Obamacare at the first of the month, Central Florida volunteer firefighter Carl Fabrizi told Sunshine State News.

'Man, oh, man, this could potentially destroy some real good companies in Florida.'

The U.S. Department of Labor takes the term 'volunteer' literally, but the IRS says volunteer firefighters are technically employees if they're on the job more than 30 hours per week, making them subject to Obamacare's employee-mandate rules.


Read more: Obamacare mandates are set to shutter THOUSANDS of volunteer fire departments | Mail Online
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Read more: Obamacare mandates are set to shutter THOUSANDS of volunteer fire departments | Mail Online
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

 

[RayNY]

Volunteer firefighters must not have lobbyists. I guess they're too busy out saving lives and homes to worry about buying politicians.

 

[healther]

How can they say nothing has been done when the mandate has been delayed. That sounds like somebody has done something.

 

[scagnt83]

Volunteer firefighters must not have lobbyists. .

The same could be said about insurance agents... very few industry groups truly look out for agents. And for the ones that do, we can see how effective they have been...

 

[STIBROKER]

ACC to trim some faculty members

Austin Community College plans to reduce hours for some adjunct faculty members to avoid having to provide them health insurance under the federal Affordable Care Act.
The policy, outlined in a memorandum from college officials late last week, isn’t sitting well with some of the part-time teachers. Not only would they not receive health coverage from ACC, but the reduced workload would decrease their pay.

 

[houcoogster]

How in the world does a Volunteer Fireman work 30 hours a week?

Something is not adding up here.

Furthermore every VF I have ever known had a good job with HI.

 

[RayNY]

I know a lot of VF who don't have HI at another job. The article went on to ask how they define hours? 30 hours at calls? 30 hours on-call? 30 hours with the radio on? 30 hours in the firehouse?

Heck, most of my VF friends basically live at the house, 30 hours is a "weekend".

 

[Post Quartermaster]

I know a lot of VF who don't have HI at another job. The article went on to ask how they define hours? 30 hours at calls? 30 hours on-call? 30 hours with the radio on? 30 hours in the firehouse?

Heck, most of my VF friends basically live at the house, 30 hours is a "weekend".

And along those lines, where on the 941 (or state quarterly wage form - UCE-120) do those hours/wages show up that subject the VF to the Employer mandate?

Smells fishy.

 

[HealthGuy]

Sensational story...next! Obamacare rocks.

 

[Insurance Guy]

How many volunteer fire departments have more than 20-25 fireman?