I was taken aback by the fact that I received a healthcare penalty on my 2017 taxes. Why did I still receive this penalty if the government was getting rid of it?

Unfortunately, "The bill eliminates the tax penalty for not having health insurance after December 31, 2018."

For more information about the newly past tax reform, please read this article - 2017 Tax Reform Legislation: What You Should Know  https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/irs-tax-return/2017-tax-reform-legislation-what-you-should-know...