The Obama administration is trying to crack down on those evading the health insurance mandate by raising the penalty — but that might only be so effective.
The Hill reports that data culled by TurboTax shows that 70 percent of those who don't have insurance will not be subject to the penalty at all.
Those who are not subject to the penalty typically are exempt because they claim they can't afford the plans offered through their employer or those available in their geographic area through the Obamacare marketplace. Other exemptions exist for those who were recently evicted or had a family member die.
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In certain states that have not expanded Medicaid, some people who would qualify for Medicaid coverage in other states are left without affordable care options, since they don't make enough to qualify for subsidies on the marketplace.
For 2016, the penalty for those who fail to obtain insurance is 2.5 percent of household annual income, or $695 for every adult without coverage. The penalty for a child without coverage is $347. And the maximum a household can be fined for members without coverage is $2,085, up from a maximum of $975 in 2015.
The administration has acknowledged that enrollment in Obamacare plans has likely plateaued to a certain extent, since those who still haven't signed up for coverage will likely be the hardest to enroll.
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