When Obamacare was first implemented, particularly during 2014, the government was granting all sorts of waivers for certain personal situations. This was an additional way to avoid an Obamacare fine, also known as the Shared Responsibility Payment under the ACA’s individual mandate.
There were many unique cases that were considered grey areas which conflicted with the law as it was legally written. The Treasury Department and HHS showed a willingness to provide these special waivers as a way to avoid an Obamacare fine.
Such situations should not be confused with regular exemptions which are more clearly defined under Obamacare’s laws. Waivers, however, are still a form of ACA penalty exemption. They can be claimed by filling out Form 8965, Health Coverage Exemptions and attaching it to your federal tax return.
Going forward, these special waivers may be more difficult to obtain.
The Most Common Obamacare Waiver
The most notable ACA waiver was granted for people who lost their insurance during 2013. Those people were exempt from participating in Obamacare during 2014 and, therefore, did not face a penalty as a result.