For the uninsured who are eligible for an insurance plan from the Affordable Care Act's marketplace, the average penalty for remaining without coverage in 2016 would be $969 per household, 47 percent higher than the 2015 estimated average penalty of $661, according to new analysis from the Kaiser Family Foundation.
The uninsured who qualify for premium subsidies in ACA marketplaces will face an average penalty of $738 per household if they remain uninsured in 2016, while those who are not eligible for subsidies face an estimated average penalty of $1,450.
The penalty for 2016 is calculated as the greater of two amounts: either $695 per adult plus $347.50 per child up to a maximum of $2,085 for the family, or 2.5 percent of family income in excess of the 2015 income tax filing thresholds. The penalty is capped at an equal amount to the national average premium for a bronze plan, which offers the minimum coverage under the ACA.