Looks like a good news for those who have not yet signed up for health insurance as they will get a second chance to sign up with no fines.
Americans who have not signed up for health insurance have been given a one-time offer to enlist with no fines. Not signing up despite the fact that they could afford, carries an average fine of US$170 for low and center salary people and independently employed agents.
According to FoxNewsLatino, several million people hit with new federal fines for going without health insurance will get a second chance to sing up starting Sunday, March 15. This could probably ease the sting of rising penalties for not being insured. That said, it's not clear how many know about the time-limited opportunity, let alone taking advantage of it.
H&R Block, a tax preparation company states that it is usually deducted from a person's tax refund. This is the first time that the U.S. government is collecting fines on uninsured people who can afford coverage. According to a congressional estimate, the number of people who would be fined is about 4 million.
FoxNewLatino noted that the people who are penalized are majorly the kind of people the law was expected to help.
Travel agent, Charles Baxter of Phoenix is one of the 4 million people who would be fined. Baxter said US$247 was deducted from his tax refund in 2014 as penalty for being uninsured. Since the bulk of his income goes for the care of his mother who has health issues, Baxter is still not sure if he would sign up for the coverage.
ChinaTopix points out that it is people like Baxter whom the Obamacare law was intended to help.
The no-fine offer began Sunday, March 15 and is good only until April 30. People without health insurance are encouraged to avail of the opportunity and to avoid fine which reportedly is hiked to US$375.
In order to qualify for the listing, there are some conditions such as that they are not aware they are legally mandated to have coverage after the open enrollment ended Feb. 15. However, the requirements are only for the 37 states served by the federal HealthCare.gov website.
According to ChinaTopix, there could be different rules and deadlines for states that run their own insurances exchanges.
