The way I see the individual mandate

[Honeycombe8]

11. You work, right? Your college sells ins. for its students.

Have you checked into the cost for minimal coverage thru your college?

The requirement to get coverage doesn't go into effect until 2014.

Medicaid covers families. It will go by your current circumstances, I believe, not your last year's returns. BUT your mom can't have a stash of cash in a savings account.

Does your mom have any emergency savings which can help pay for ins? Is she likely to get another job?

There are so many variables, it's hard to say.

Sometimes people can convert their job based coverage to an individual policy (not COBRA).

If you mom really has no $, she no doubt qualifies for Medicaid, esp since you're under 19 (you're under 19, right?). You qualify as a child.

GO TO THIS SITE AND click on the options that apply to your mom, and see where that takes you. It will tell you the options she has. WWW.HEALTHCARE.GOV


THEN GO TO THE SITE AGAIN and click on the options that apply to YOU, and see what your options are.

There are so many variables that someone who doesn't have all your facts can't really say what your options are. How old is your mother? Is she healthy? Does she have a pre-existing condition? Does she smoke?

Take heart. You and your mom DO have options.