`(5) RELIGIOUS CONSCIENCE EXEMPTION-
`(A) IN GENERAL- Subsection (a) shall not apply to any individual (and any qualifying child residing with such individual) for any period if such individual has in effect an exemption which certifies that such individual is a member of a recognized religious sect or division thereof described in section 1402(g)(1) and an adherent of established tenets or teachings of such sect or division as described in such section.
`(B) EXEMPTION- An application for the exemption described in subparagraph (A) shall be filed with the Secretary at such time and in such form and manner as the Secretary may prescribe. The Secretary may treat an application for exemption under section 1402(g)(1) as an application for exemption under this section, or may otherwise coordinate applications under such sections, as the Secretary determines appropriate. Any such exemption granted by the Secretary shall be effective for such period as the Secretary determines appropriate.
as the Secretary may prescribe / The Secretary may treat / as the Secretary determines / granted by the Secretary / as the Secretary determines appropriate.
As to whether Muslims are exempted, the answer is: as the Secretary decrees. That section 1402(g)(1) referenced above? - unable to locate.
Here is some useful information regarding Muslims view of insurance. Although they may view it as gambling, and would prefer a co-op type of health care, they are permissive of the idea in relationship to a country’s laws. I truly doubt religion is going to play a part in the health insurance situation. I don’t agree with ‘Obama Care’ one bit, but I do think this ‘dhimmitude’ thing is stretching things quite a bit.
http://islam.about.com/od/business/f/insurancefaq.htm
“Scholars such as Sheikh Muhammed Al-Munajjid criticise the system of conventional insurance as exploitative and unjust. They point out that paying money for something, with no guarantee of benefit, involves high ambiguity and risk. One pays into the program, but may or may not need to receive compensation from the program, which could be considered a form of gambling. The insured always seems to lose while the insurance companies get richer and charge higher premiums.
However, many of these same scholars take into consideration the circumstances. For those living in non-Islamic countries, who are mandated to abide by insurance law, there is no sin in complying with the local law. Sheikh Al-Munajjid advises Muslims about what to do in such a situation: “If you are forced to take out insurance and there is an accident, it is permissible for you to take from the insurance company the same amount as the payments you have made, but you should not take any more than that. If they force you to take it then you should donate it to charity.”