Covered California: Higher Tax Penalties In 2015 For Those Who Don't Have Health Insurance

California's health insurance exchange is reminding people who don't have coverage that tax penalties are going up this year.   

Peter Lee of Covered California says if you don't sign up before the end of open enrollment Feb. 15 the price could be high.  

"In 2015 those tax penalties are rising," says Lee. "We want to make sure that everyone in Californians who is uninsured is aware that these penalties are doubling this year so they can take steps now."

Lee says a single person earning $40,000 dollars a year could face a tax penalty of nearly $300 for failing to have coverage in 2014. But their cost could jump to almost $600  in the 2015 tax year. 

More than 200,000 Californians have picked a private health plan since November 15th, and slightly fewer than 500,000 people are newly enrolled in Medi-Cal.