The people with cheap plans that have to buy more

[upaloopa]

expensive plans are similar to those with no coverage as a matter of personal choice.
They both have no real health care coverage.
The reason everyone is buying a plan is to spread the costs around. That keeps costs down for everyone as a rule. Insurance companies get premiums from people that are well enough not to need care very often.
So keeping your cheaper plan with no real coverage is similar to not buying insurance at all. It is not contributing to keeping prices low for everyone.
I suggest those who have a cheap plan to just go without insurance that way they won't be paying for nothing like when they had the cheap plan.
The tax penalty can't be enforced so you have nothing to lose.
And by the way even though you don't want to help keep costs down we will still pay for your emergency room care like we would have with your cheap plan in force.

[Romulox]

1. It make more sense to pay the fine, then enroll if and when one gets sick.

Since one cannot be denied due to pre-existing conditions.

[leftstreet]

2. Sad, but true n/t

[Travis_0004]

5. or avoid the fine.

I have good insurance now. My plan is going up and the risk of not having insurance is going down.

If I pay my power bill late 3 months in a row I will get a shutoff warning from the company. That notice is sufficent to be exempt from the fine, and the power company late fees are very small. They wont report it to my credit either since I will not be 30 days late.

[leftstreet]

3. Most people buy what they can afford

I doubt most people wrestle through a philosophical dilemma when deciding how much they can budget for anything

[upaloopa]

4. I really doubt people use a budget.

The reason being that a budget is too much reality for people living pay check to pay check.
People usually rank the items they want to spend their money on from necessities to wants. Food clothing and shelter are basic necessities. Once they are satisfied what ever money is left goes to those wants that are at the top of the ranking.
If you don't expect to need care insurance is not high on the list.
We shouldn't have to buy health insurance at all to my way of thinking.