Why do I need to buy insurance, anyway?
There is a requirement under the Affordable Care Act, frequently referred to as Obamacare, that all legal residents of the USA have coverage compliant with the new plan requirements. There are tax penalties for deciding not to purchase insurance. For members with coverage starting in 2015, this is 2.0% of your overall income, or $295, whichever is larger. For coverage beginning in 2016, the penalty will be 2.5% of your overall income or $695, whichever is larger.