 TITLE: How to Get Health Insurance When You’re Unemployed CONTENT: Should You Ever Go Without Health Insurance?\n--------------------------------------------\nThe federal fine for not having health insurance is no longer in place, although some states have their own penalties. (In California, for instance, a family of four that goes uninsured for all of 2021 would face a penalty of at least $2,250.) Should you take the risk and make do without health insurance?\nA fine will be the least you have to worry about if you break your arm, get appendicitis or have a heart attack and don't have health insurance. The average hospital admission in the U.S. cost over $24,680 in 2018, according to KFF.org; the average admission for surgery cost $47,345. Perhaps it's not surprising that medical costs are a leading cause of U.S. personal bankruptcies. Purchasing at least minimal coverage can help provide peace of mind, knowing that you're covered if a costly illness or accident occurs while you're in between jobs. END