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The Daily Insight

Which states have a penalty for not having health insurance in 2020?

Author

Emma Jordan

Published Apr 01, 2026

You may have to pay a penalty for not having health insurance if you live in one of the following states:

  • Massachusetts.
  • New Jersey.
  • Vermont.
  • California.
  • Rhode Island.
  • District of Columbia (Washington D.C.)

What is the tax penalty for not having Obamacare?

If you could afford health insurance in 2018 but did not purchase coverage, you will likely have to pay a penalty amounting to either 2.5 percent of your yearly household income or $695 per person ($347.50 per child under 18), whichever is greater.

Is Obamacare still active 2021?

ACA Has Not Been Repealed or Replaced, & Lawsuit Doesn’t Affect Enrollment in 2021 Plans. Despite the ever-present headlines about health care, the Affordable Care Act remains the law of the land. And as noted above, the American Rescue Plan has expanded the ACA’s subsidies to make them larger and more widely available …

What states still have individual mandate?

As of October 2019, six states have successfully passed a statewide individual mandate: California – Effective January 1, 2020….States that are actively considering and/or pursuing a statewide individual mandate:

  • Connecticut.
  • Hawaii.
  • Maryland.
  • Minnesota.
  • Washington.

When do you have to pay Obamacare penalty?

The Obamacare tax penalty is paid when you file your federal taxes for the year in question. So, if you went without Obamacare-compliant health insurance coverage in 2016, you may have to pay the tax penalty when you file your 2016 tax return in early 2017.

What kind of taxes do you have to pay under Obamacare?

Kimberly Amadeo has 20 years of experience in economic analysis and business strategy. She writes about the U.S. Economy for The Balance. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010, known as Obamacare, imposed a lot of changes to the tax law. Here’s a summary of the major taxes, penalties, fines, and tax credits.

Is there a tax penalty for not having health insurance?

Unfortunately, the Obamacare tax penalty can be pretty substantial. It’s big enough, at any rate, to give anyone second thoughts about going without health insurance. Like the subsidies that Obamacare provides to qualifying individuals and families, the Obamacare tax penalty works on a sliding scale.

Is the Obamacare penalty called a shared responsibility payment?

On your federal tax forms, you’ll find that the Obamacare tax penalty is referred to as a “shared responsibility payment” under the Affordable Care Act. That’s the more official name of the Obamacare tax penalty.