Unfair to apply differing ACA deadlines, consumers say

Individuals who've begun the enrollment process for health insurance benefits but haven't finished were recently given a reprieve, enabling them to avoid the penalty that comes with not having a health plan in place. But a considerable number of Americans believe this extension isn't fair.

Nearly 8 in 10 - 76 percent - of respondents said they think applying different extensions is unfair, according to a recent poll performed by insurance-information company HealthPocket. Meanwhile, less than one-quarter said they believe the delay was justifiable.

Even among individual states, there are varying deadlines. HealthPocket found the end of the open enrollment period differs by as much as three months, specifically among those states where the exchanges are run by the federal government rather than the states.

For those who fail to enroll in the appropriate period, they could be fined $95 or as much as 1 percent of their annual income. However, it's not clear which penalty will be enforced or how rigorously it will be implemented, according to The New York Times. If it's 1 percent, the penalty would be just under $300 for someone making an annual wage of $40,000.