Trending News Today: Millions Opt for Paying Fines Over Signing Up for ACA

Millions of individuals are opting to pay a fine of $700 or more to the IRS rather than signing up for health insurance through Affordable Care Act marketplaces. The IRS said that 8.1 million people paid the penalty in 2015, and they expect that 5.6 million will pay it for 2016, according to The New York Times. For some, the penalty is significantly less than the cost of the penalty, especially for a majority of next year’s premiums that are set to increase drastically.

Auvi-Q has announced that they are planning to bring back their EpiPen alternative in 2017. While lawmakers and patients rejoice, this product’s return may not do much for the prices of the drug, since it was more expensive than EpiPen when it was on the market, according to The New York Times. Executives at Auvi-Q said they will work to make sure the product is affordable for patients, and the company may even face additional pressure to lower prices, since the generic EpiPen is set to launch soon.

Healthcare regulators in Vermont recently approved a plan that would reward providers for keeping patients in good health. In the new system, the providers would be given a sum of money for each patient they treat, and if patients need little care, the providers would be able to keep the rest of the money. However, if patients require further care, providers would perform the services without additional compensation. While there are many details that still need to be worked out, the program’s director said they expect the program to be implemented in 36% of Vermont care services by the second year, according to The Washington Post.