Poll: Many Would Rather Pay Mandated Tax Than Get Insurance

Nearly 40 percent of Americans would rather pay a mandated tax than buy health insurance, a new Princeton Survey Research Associates Poll reveals.

However, many Americans remain confused about the possible fines for not signing up, the poll of 1,013 adults discovered, reports Fox News.

The Princeton poll found that 38 percent would rather pay the tax. The number is a bit higher than a recent Gallup poll, which found that 28 percent would rather pay the tax.

But the poll also had good implications for Obamacare, which depends on young, healthy adults signing up for insurance in order to keep costs down. The poll shows that 65 percent of Americans between 18 and 29 would buy insurance, in comparison to 57 percent of Americans older than 30.

"One of the key questions surrounding the Affordable Care Act is whether or not young Americans – especially healthy young Americans – will sign up for health insurance," said Laura Adams, insuranceQuotes.com’s senior analyst. "This research sheds a positive light on that segment of the population. However, it’s concerning that about three in 10 Americans still don’t know about the possible fines."

According to a hypothetical scenario used in the poll, a 45-year-old individual who earns $50,000 a year would pay $3,000 a year, but only a tax of $400 if that person did not buy insurance.

The poll also found that 74 percent of Democrats, versus 40 percent of Republicans and 56 percent of Independents would buy insurance policies.

But it revealed many Americans do not understand the penalty results, which equal the greater amount of $95, or one percent, of household income above the filing threshold of $10,000 for individuals and $20,000 for families.

In addition, almost 8 in 10 polled believe children under the age of 18 are exempt from the mandate, which they are not. Further, another six out of 10 polled erroneously believed senior citizens older than 65 are exempt from the mandate.

But 64 percent said they know where the mandate tax is being collected from — thier own federal income tax return.

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