On New Year’s Eve, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor issued a last-minute healthcare exemption, just hours before the controversial Affordable Care Act mandates went into effect.
The order gives a temporary exemption to two Catholic nonprofits. The charities filed a lawsuit objecting to the contraception mandate because of their religious and moral beliefs. The Justice said the two groups will be exempted until Friday, when the federal government must respond to the lawsuit.
The biggest from the law taking effect in 2014 requires adults without insurance to pay a penalty. The annual fee this year is either $95 or 1% of the family income. But the penalty fee will increase each year after this one (read more on the healthcare.gov web site). You must enroll in a health insurance plan by March 31st to avoid the penalty, although you can also file for an exemption.