I can’t find any current studies on this.
What percentage of people are buying ACA because of some penalty?
That is, there is an individual mandate and a company mandate (I believe both deferred).
So, do we know how many people are buying ACA insurance because of some penalty? Or is everyone buying this insurance because they want it?
I’m not sure how you could reliably study this. ACA changes the method of shopping, the coverage provided, the costs (including subsidies) and also the penalty. Plus, lots of advertising, both public and private.
However, for 2014, the individual penalty is pitifully small - $95 per individual with a $285 cap for a family. There are lots of ways to qualify for a waiver on that penalty even if you’re not covered. In 2016, though, this goes up nearly seven times to 695 each, again with a 3x cap for a family. It will be indexed to inflation after that.
So the penalty will become a much more significant motivator. Right now, I’d have to call it pretty close to 0% of people