The results are interesting.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/politics/what-health-bill-means-for-you/?hpid=z2

by 2016, the penalty is $695 or 2.5% (whichever is greater) of your adjusted gross income. 2.5% of $56k is $1400.
in fact, $695 is 2.5% of $27,800, so anyone near povery level doesn't have to worry about the 2.5% part, only the $695 part.

moreover, if your friend doesn't earn enough to require filing income tax, your friend is exempt entirely.

if your friend's agi is less than 400% of the poverty level, there's also federal subsidies available to keep exchange-based healthcare costs to 2% of income or $600 per year.

finally, medicaid eligibility was expanded to 133% of poverty level, though it's unclear how that will fly after the supreme court decision.

THE HENRY J. KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION www.kff.org
Headquarters: 2400 Sand Hill Road Menlo Park, CA 94025 650.854.9400 Fax: 650.854.4800 Washington Offices and Barbara Jordan Conference Center: 1330 G Street, NW Washington, DC 20005 202.347.5270 Fax: 202.347.5274
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148)

Overall approach to expanding access to coverage
Require most U.S. citizens and legal residents to have health insurance. Create state-based American Health Benefit Exchanges through which individuals can purchase coverage, with premium and cost- sharing credits available to individuals/families with income between 133-400% of the federal poverty level (the poverty level is $18,310 for a family of three in 2009) and create separate Exchanges through which small businesses can purchase coverage. Require employers to pay penalties for employees who receive tax credits for health insurance through an Exchange, with exceptions for small employers. Impose new regulations on health plans in the Exchanges and in the individual and small group markets. Expand Medicaid to 133% of the federal poverty level.

Individual Mandate
Requirement to have coverage
• Require U.S. citizens and legal residents to have qualifying health coverage. Those without coverage pay a tax penalty of the greater of $695 per year up to a maximum of three times that amount ($2,085) per family or 2.5% of household income. The penalty will be phased-in according to the following schedule: $95 in 2014, $325 in 2015, and $695 in 2016 for the flat fee or 1.0% of taxable income in 2014, 2.0% of taxable income in 2015, and 2.5% of taxable income in 2016. Beginning after 2016, the penalty will be increased annually by the cost-of-living adjustment. Exemptions will be granted for financial hardship, religious objections, American Indians, those without coverage for less than three months, undocumented immigrants, incarcerated individuals, those for whom the lowest cost plan option exceeds 8% of an individual’s income, and those with incomes below the tax filing threshold (in 2009 the threshold for taxpayers under age 65 was $9,350 for singles and $18,700 for couples).

http://www.kff.org/healthreform/upload/8061.pdf

Thanks to everyone who answered. Maybe, just maybe, we have another person about to figure out that Fox News lies.