Actually, the payments are not compulsory. Only the penalty is. That is all that can be factored in.
Also, the penalty is no longer compulsory. This is why I said last fall that the big news of 2019 will be the collapse of Obamacare because it is the first year it doesn’t have the mandate.
We have a lot of other stuff going on, but just keep watching. It will be a big deal as the number of people going without health care insurance explodes. It probably already has, but nobody is reporting it. Just a guess. :)
And Obamacare was just found to be unconstitutional in a court of law (now that there is no mandate). I wonder if it will stand. I wonder if it means that people that didn’t have insurance in 2018, and yet didn’t pay the penalty, will end up having to pay the penalty.
I had to pay it....
I turned 65 last September (2018) and got on board w/ Medicare & a great supplemental insurance that was extremely affordable.. Because I was uninsured ANY part of 2018 the ‘penalty’ was applied.
Before that any form of insurance was WAY too expensive. I would have had to give up driving and some groceries in order to afford it.
I absolutely loathe the political class that burdened us with the greatest of legislative turkey of all time. They are able to enjoy taxpayer funded Cadillac plans in conjunction with the parasite classes of leeches who coast through life.
So - to answer your question.....yes.