Kay Lazar from the Boston Globe is reporting that the Massachusetts Department of Revenue is raising the monentary penalties charged to individuals without Massachusetts health insurance.

The fines are levied monthly. If an adult over the age of 27 and earns over $31,212 per year, as of 2009 they will now have to pay $1,086 per year for being uninsured. An uninsured adult from 18 to 26 years of age making that amount must pay penalties totaling $624 per year. There is a sliding scale for individuals with lower salaries; people making less than $15,612 are eligible for health care subsidized by the state and therefore don’t have to pay any penalty.

The state of Massachusetts passed a 2006 law that requires all adults (age 18 or over) to have health insurance if the Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority determines they can afford it. The policy is intended as a way to transition the state to universal healthcare. Kay quotes a Dept. of Revenue commissioner, who says that last year, 5% of adults that are required to buy health insurance didn’t obtain coverage.

(Photo credit: wallyg under CC 2.0)