Obamacare, or H.R. 3590, mandates that after 2013 everybody carries essential insurance coverage or be penalized (see Chapter 48 section 5000A). The goal of the law was to provide insurance for all obviously and making requiring everyone to buy it is certainly one way to achieve this goal. And, of course, with everyone now pitching in the burden will be shared and rates will drop, at least that's how the theory goes. There is a religious exemption, however, to this mandate which can be found in section d of the above section