One question I am sure to get on air whenever we talk about health care is, “Do I have to sign up for Obamacare?” The answer is yes, unless you are one of the exemptions to Obamacare. That often leads to another question: “What are the exemptions to Obamacare?”

As we get closer to the deadlines imposed by the Affordable Care Act, more and more people are starting to ask these questions. There are nine exemptions to the Obamacare mandate, and many of my listeners want to know if they qualify for any of them. Section 1501 of the law explains each of these.

There is a religious conscience exemption. You have to be a member of a recognized religious sect or division described in another section. If you are listening to this radio commentary, you likely don’t qualify. This exemption applies mostly to Old Order Amish and Old Order Mennonites that emphasize a strong separation from society.

Another exemption is for members of Indian tribes. The assumption is they would already be covered by the government’s Indian Health Care system. One Navaho woman called to ask if she qualified, and I suggested she check with her tribe. Recent news stories report complaints by Native-Americans that the published regulations define qualified Indians and their tribes too narrowly.

One exemption many Christians are considering is the exemption for a Health Sharing Ministry. To qualify for the exemption, a member must belong to a ministry that has existed in some form since 1999. This would include groups like Medi-Share and Samaritan Ministries. These and other similar groups are guided by Christian principles. Members promise to live a healthy lifestyle (no drugs, alcohol in moderation, etc.). They voluntarily share their resources within a ministry with others who have medical bills. And members know their dollars are not going to subsidize practices to which they might object.

As we get closer to the law’s deadlines, I expect more people to start paying attention to the law’s requirements and exemptions.