When it comes to implementing Obamacare, the amount of power Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius beholds is truly amazing.

The individual mandate has been delayed until the federal website is fixed.  The delay also means that individuals will no longer be hit with the individual tax of $95 or 1% of their income, whichever is greater, should they choose to sign up for a plan towards the end of the enrollment period (March 31st is the deadline for individuals to sign up for health coverage).

Bloomberg explains the confusion:

Basically, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act says that in order to avoid paying the fine for being uninsured, you have to be insured by the end of March. But insurance policies begin on the first day of the month, which means that you need to buy insurance by February. And because it takes a couple of weeks to process a policy, in practice, you need to purchase by Feb. 15. If you buy insurance after that, you will still be insured — but you will also need to pay a penalty. 

The delay has potential to extend even further under Sebelius’s rule – sans Congress.  Click here to find out how.