Perhaps you’ve decided you’re the healthiest person on earth. You sneer at colds and scoff at the flu. You haven’t seen the inside of a doctor’s office in years. Health insurance, you declare, is expensive and you don’t need it.

Here’s what happens if you don’t get it:

First, there’s a steep penalty for not having health insurance: in 2015, it’ll be 2% of your income or $325 per person in your household… whichever is higher. So if you make more than $16,250 annually, you’re looking at sending off 2% of your income off into the ether.

If you make $40,000, then you’ll pay $800.

If you make $50,000, then you’ll pay $1,000.

If you make $60,000, then you pay $1,200…

And you still won’t have health insurance.

If you’re under 30, a Catastrophic Plan costs about $170/month. It’s a low-cost way to protect yourself in the case of an emergency.

You never know when something could happen. When you have health insurance, you’re less likely to turn down procedures because you can’t afford them, and you’re less likely to be forced into debt by the costs of an emergency surgery. Even small medical procedures can have unexpectedly high price tags, especially upfront: health insurance helps make those expenses manageable.

Long story short: when you don’t have health insurance… you pay a fine. And all the other costs of healthcare.

Why pay the price? Give yourself -- and the people who care about you -- peace of mind. Get covered.