Admin Looks To Expand Hardship Exemptions To The Individual Mandate

What’s the story?

Did you know you can get a "hardship exemption" to Obamacare’s individual mandate? I didn’t.

Currently, there are 13 possible reasons to be exempted from tax penalties for not maintaining continuous health coverage. There’s also the possibility of proposing another reason not listed and getting authorization.

The administration is reported to be contemplating expanding the list of qualifying reasons in order to offer relief from the individual mandate sooner rather than later.

The requirement to purchase coverage was eliminated by the tax bill, but won’t go into effect until 2019, according to the Washington Post. If the administration expands the reasons to qualify for exemptions for the current year, then individuals could use the expanded list when they file their taxes for 2018.

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services could issue an additional guidance, but have been reportedly waiting until Alex Azar was confirmed as Health and Human Services Secretary. Azar was confirmed on Wednesday.

What do you think?

Should the administration expand the qualifying reasons for hardship exemptions from the individual mandate or not?

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— Asha Sanaker

(Photo Credit: Healthcare.gov)