The Requirement to Buy Coverage Under the Affordable Care Act
Note: Congress eliminated the federal tax penalty for not having health insurance, effective January 1, 2019.
Along with changes to the health insurance system that guarantee access to coverage to everyone regardless of pre-existing health conditions, the Affordable Care Act includes a requirement that many people be insured or pay a penalty. This simple flowchart illustrates how that requirement (sometimes known as an “individual mandate”) works.
