individual mandate

What is the individual mandate?

Beginning in 2019 the repeal of the tax penalty, also known as the individual shared responsibility payment, for not complying with the individual mandate went into effect, eliminating financial penalties for opting out of enrolling in ACA-qualifying major medical coverage.

From 2014 to 2019, as part of the Affordable Care Act, all individuals were required to obtain minimum essential coverage unless they qualified for an exemption. Not doing so resulted in a tax penalty.