Ohio Seeks First State Obamacare Mandate Waiver

Ohio is poised to become the first state exempted from the Obamacare requirement that all individuals purchase health insurance.

The waiver requires approval from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. In its request, the Buckeye State included actuarial data contending the waiver would have no impact on Obamacare enrollment because the tax penalty for the requirement, known as the individual mandate, was eliminated in the sweeping tax bill signed by President Donald Trump late last year.

Although the tax penalty has been eliminated, federal law still requires individuals to have health insurance, and Ohio is seeking to be ...