If my memory serves me, the tax was the pivot point for being constitutional or not during the first time it was reviewed by SCOTUS.
The government cannot force you to buy ANYTHING.
“The government cannot force you to buy ANYTHING.”
A tax filer could include partially completed (name and address only) ACA/IRS forms with his or her 1040 and just mark it as “TBD (N/A)” or some such indication that there will be no acknowledgement of any amount due as a penalty for not having purchased health insurance whether through healthcare.gov or not. I believe there are taxpayers out there who know this and then there are the taxpayers who just go along to get along when maybe they never had to in the first place.