Mandate

Part of Obamacare is the mandate. This says that if you choose not to purchase health care you will pay a penalty and it will be collected when you file your taxes. In 2016 eleven million people chose to pay the penalty. This figure is under reported. When you are filling out your tax return there are two questions. First is, did you have insurance and the second is did you buy it through the exchange and if you answer yes to the first and no to the second you can avoid the penalty. How many have done this is not known but they would be added to the 11 million and become part of the uninsured. Both would be part of the 27 million who did not have health insurance in 2016 and this does not count many illegals who are not insured.