Some Americans would rather be fined than sign up for healthcare insurance, poll says

As the deadline to secure 2014 healthcare coverage grows closer, many Americans say they would rather pay a fine than sign up for insurance.

A recent Gallup poll found that 28% of uninsured people have no plans to sign up for healthcare insurance. The poll also estimated that 17% of Americans are currently uninsured, which means that 5% of adults would be uninsured. In October, the month healthcare exchanges opened for people to but individual health plans, 34% of adults said that weren’t planning on getting health insurance.

Republicans seem to be less likely to sign up for insurance plans than any other political group-45% say they plan on paying the fine, while 31% of independents and 15% of Democrats say they aren’t buying insurance plans. Slightly more adults over the age of 30 (30%) report that they won’t be signing up for insurance than adults younger than 30 years old (26%).

It’s not that uninsured people don’t know about their obligation-the poll finds that 81% of them are aware that they will have to pay a fine if they don’t carry healthcare insurance. For those who choose not to carry healthcare insurance in 2014, they will be fined $95 or 1% of their salaries, whichever is greater.