Question: If someone has dual citizenship and lives in the United States for 3 months out of the year, are they exempt from the Individual Mandate? If they would like Covered CA insurance for those 3 months, how would that work? I was told that if they have MEC outside the US then they are exempt from the mandate, but as far as applying for coverage with premium assistance, that seems a little confusing. Does filing taxes play a role?

Answer: You are not considered a California resident if you live in the state less than 6 months a year. Therefore you would not be eligible for Covered California coverage with or without a subsidy for the time that you are in the state. An American citizen who lives outside the country is exempt from the individual mandate, however.