I think you might be able to wait until you get sick, then pay the one-time 30% more for the rest of the year to be enrolled. This could be perfect for a con game if you got sick on December 1st. You only have to pay for 1 month's insurance plus 30% more, and only a penalty for that year.

I have a feeling Republicans have not run this by the insurance companies. If these are the terms, nobody will offer health insurance.

The other way they could do it, is you can't enroll until January 1st of the next year, if you miss the couple of month grace period without enrollment. Then you would have to pay 30% more, but most people who got sick would be bankrupt by then.