President signs bill allowing religious exemption from individual mandate

President Trump signed into law on October 24 the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act (H.R. 6) (P.L. 115-271), which includes a provision providing a new religious exemption from the individual mandate under the Affordable Care Act (ACA, or Obamacare). The requirement to maintain basic health coverage is sometimes referred to as the “individual mandate.” The individual mandate has been eliminated after 2018. The exemption applies to individuals who are members of a religious sect or division which is not described in Section 1402(g)(1) of the ACA, who rely solely on a religious method of healing, and for whom the acceptance of medical health services would be inconsistent with their religious beliefs. The provision changes Code Sec. 5000A(d)(2)(A) and is effective for tax years beginning after Dec. 31, 2018.