Enrollment in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act began Oct. 1, triggering the shutdown of the federal government because of the dispute between the Obama administration and Democratic members of Congress on one side and the Republican majority in the House of Representatives on the other. Political bickering aside, the law will have considerable impact on Defense Department civilian employees. It requires that every U.S. citizen must hold minimum health-care insurance coverage for themselves and any dependents they claim on federal income tax returns, or qualify for an exemption, beginning Jan. 1. Civilian employees who opted not to select a health-benefits plan and as such are not covered presently must do so or pay a penalty fee. More information is available online from the Internal Revenue Service at www.irs.gov/uac/Questions-and-Answers-on-the-Individual-Shared-Responsibility-Provision.
