Practically its not all that much different than giving you a ‘tax credit’ for doing something and then raising every-ones taxes by a similar amount so only those who don't do it pay the higher taxes.
Here in lib Maryland a neighbor gets a forced subsidy from the power company (~ 2K per year) mandated by state law for using solar panels, and the company just raises our rates to pay for it. Practically we are being fined there but they dont call it that, its hidden.
They also gave him ‘tax credits’ in the first place for buying the panels while they raised a number of our taxes at the same time. So he buys the panels and we pay (him) for our not buying them.
The Obama-care mandate fine/tax is similar to those examples practically except Obama wanted to claim its a fine and not a tax to avoid more resistance to it.
My point is we are already serfs, it's just the other cases are better hidden.
BTW : The R candidate Romney was the first to implement that 'unAmerican' idea.