As of January 1, 2019, you are no longer required to pay a penalty for not having coverage. However, California, the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Rhode Island have their own coverage requirement that does impose a tax penalty. If you live in one of these states, contact your state department of insurance for more information.
While the federal tax penalty for not maintaining minimum essential coverage has been eliminated beginning in 2019, whether you have access to or are enrolled in a plan that qualifies as minimum essential coverage is essential in determining eligibility for premium tax credits and certain special enrollment periods.