An era has come to a close in America. The days of getting basic over-the-counter medication at low prices and without a hassle are over. Progressive, ObamaCare legislation has turned what was once a swift and easy transaction into a headache-inducing and costly endeavor.
At the beginning of the year new restrictions were placed on HSA’s, FSA’s, and HRA’s, and many easily obtainable items will no longer be reimbursable in those savings plans. Basically any drug deemed “non-qualified” will be subject to taxation as part of the overall income tax if any of those accounts are used. So there is a 20 percent excise tax slapped on to the overall bill for a basic, over-the-counter drug.
In fairness, there is a way of getting around the new taxes and restrictions. Now people will have to visit a doctor and receive a prescription if they want medications that were once easy to simply buy off the shelf of a local drugstore. This will add extra cost to an already strained system, not to mention the opportunity cost accrued because of the wasted time of planning an appointment, driving to the office, and waiting in the lobby to see the doctor.
This new policy is just one of the goodies in ObamaCare that Americans are now getting a taste of.
Apparently there are all kinds of symptoms and problems that will now require a visit to a medical professional. If you wish to take better care of your teeth with a basic, enamel-building toothpaste, then you will need a prescription from a dentist. If springtime sneezing, sniffling, and coughing has you feeling down, and you don’t want to fall down because of the drowsiness that sometimes accompanies antihistamines, then you’re out of luck. The new rules apply to Claritin, which is a common, non-drowsy allergy drug.
And if you are having such extraordinary symptoms like acne or heartburn, then you will have to go to a doctor for those problems too, because acne treatments and antacids are also on the list of taxable items. In fact, there are nearly a limitless number of minor health problems and treatments that, under the new rules, will increase anxiety and expense.
To add to the joys of this year’s Tax Day, millions of Americans across the country can wave goodbye to the fairly efficient and painless system of purchasing over-the-counter drugs, and can look forward to next years Tax Day, which will include more restrictions, more bureaucratic meddling, and—of course—more taxes.
