Obamacare Mandate May be Postponed

The Obama administration is considering adjusting the current deadlines imposed in the Affordable Care Act to give Americans extra time to get covered before penalties begin. As of now, individuals are expected to be insured by March 31 to avoid any sort of financial penalty, but have leeway for three months before the penalty of $95 or 1 percent of annual income (whichever is more) sets in. But, due to the time it takes to register and process applications, individuals would need to apply by Feb. 15. The government, recognizing the "disconnect," plans to revise policies to make sure the true deadlines align, according to a Department of Health and Human Services official.