The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires most Americans to have adequate health insurance beginning on January 1, 2014. Those who do not get an “exemption” will pay a penalty for months during the year when they have no health insurance. This “individual mandate” continues to be the subject of much political controversy.
Update: On October 23, 2013 the government announced that it would delay assessing penalties on anyone signing up for health insurance coverage by March 31, 2014.