The tobacco surcharge makes my health insurance unaffordable so I can’t buy coverage. Even after taking into account the tax credit, my premium will cost more than 8.16 percent of my income. Will I owe a penalty?
No. If the cost of health insurance, taking into account both your premium tax credit and the tobacco surcharge, exceeds 8.16 percent of your income in 2017, you will not be subject to the penalty for failure to obtain insurance that year.