Obamacare Individual Mandate

When Obamacare passed in 2014, there was a new requirement on all U.S. citizens and legal residents that they obtain government-approved health insurance. If they failed to do so, a penalty was imposed. For most Americans this meant they were required to either pay a portion of their income to private health insurance companies, or pay a fine to the federal government for not doing so.

At the end of 2018, the federal government rolled back the penalty for not having insurance to $0. If you are uninsured, you will no longer be required to pay a Federal fine. As of 2020, there are still penalties and individual mandates in Massachusetts, New Jersey, California, Rhode Island, and the District of Columbia.