Health Insurance

Is It Mandatory To Have Health Insurance in 2024?

Alexis Bryan
Alexis Bryan1 Jan 2024
State-Imposed Health Insurance Coverage Mandates
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Health Insurance Penalty Exemptions
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Open Enrollment for Health Insurance in 2023
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Alternatives to Health Insurance Through the Exchange
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Open Enrollment 2022 for Health Insurance Plans Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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Bottom Line
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Since 2019, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has not had a federal individual mandate penalty for the uninsured, which will remain in 2024. Four states and DC will impose a tax penalty on those who do not have health insurance.

State-Imposed Health Insurance Coverage Mandates

The federal penalty for not having health insurance (the individual mandate) was repealed in 2019. Still, states can impose tax penalties on their residents. Generally, the penalty applies to people who decide to go without health insurance but can afford it.

The state penalties are similar to the ACA individual mandate of 2018. The state individual mandate tax is based on the tax year, not the calendar year. It is paid when you file your taxes. The table below shows the tax penalties for 2024 in each state.

Tax Penalties for Those Who are Uninsured by State

StateTax Penalty
Massachusetts
  • No penalty if your income is less than 150% of the poverty level
  • 50% of the premium for the lowest-cost ConnectorCare plan if your income is between 150.1-300% of the poverty level
  • 50% of the cost of the lowest-cost bronze plan available through the Massachusetts Health Connector if your income is over 300% of the poverty level
New Jersey
  • Depends on household income and family size
  • The maximum penalty the average cost of a bronze plan in New Jersey
  • In 2020 the minimum tax penalty was $695 and the maximum was $3,012
California
  • $750 per uninsured adult and $375 per uninsured adult or 2.5 percent of household income (whichever amount is greater)
  • Maximum penalty equal to the average premium for a bronze level plan in CA (does not apply if that premium exceeds 8.28% of household income)
Rhode Island
  • $695 per uninsured adult and $347.50 per child or 2.5 percent of income (whichever amount is greater)
  • Up to a maximum of $2,085 per family
  • The maximum penalty will be equal to the cost of the average bronze plan in Rhode Island
District of Columbia
  • $695 per uninsured adult and $347.50 per child or 2.5% of household income (whichever amount is greater)
  • The maximum penalty is the average cost of a bronze plan in DC ($3,448 in 2020)
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Alexis Bryan

Alexis Bryan MPH, is a recent graduate of Columbia’s Mailman School of Public Health. She is passionate about increasing access to care to improve health outcomes. Outside of work, she loves to travel, read, and pay too much attention to her plants.

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