Widespread misunderstanding about ACA, clarifying Open Season & Enrollment numbers

[PoliticAverse]

16. The reason for the March 31 deadline is the law provides for no penalty if you don't have

a gap of coverage of more than 3 continuous months. If you missed the March 31 deadline for that by a month you'd owe
a penalty for 4 months not the 1 month your example implies.

Complete IRS rules on the penalty (with some example calculations at the end):
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-08-30/pdf/2013-21157.pdf

H. Short Coverage Gap

The proposed regulations provide that
an individual qualifies for the short
coverage gap exemption if the
continuous period without minimum
essential coverage is less than three full
calendar months and is the first short
coverage gap in the individual’s taxable
year. Further, in determining whether a
gap in coverage qualifies as a short
coverage gap, the length of the period
without minimum essential coverage is
measured by reference to calendar
months (for example, January or
February) in conjunction with the one
day rule in § 1.5000A–1(b). Therefore, if
an individual is enrolled in and entitled
to receive benefits under a plan
identified as minimum essential
coverage for one day in a calendar
month, the month is not included in the
continuous period when applying the
short coverage gap exemption.