The Individual mandate is a requirement that all individuals carry some minimum health insurance or pay a tax. The mandate is set to go into effect beginning in 2014. The penalty for not buying into some type of insurance option will start at $95 per person per year or 1 percent of income in 2014, whichever is greater. The penalty will eventually increase to $695 per person or 2.5 percent of income by 2016. The new rules outlined details requiring individuals to be responsible for spouses, children and other dependents, among other issues.