What’s so wrong with requiring health insurance?
Among all the provisions in Obama’s 2010 healthcare bill, the idea of mandated health care coverage seems to have drawn the heaviest fire, and that baffles me.
Nobody likes to be forced to do anything, but the truth is, whether you have health insurance or not, you’re going to receive medical care when you need it. If you don’t have insurance, chances are good you won’t seek medical attention until the situation is dire, and most likely you won’t be able to pay the bulk of your medical bills either.
In the end, those of us who do have insurance pay for it, through higher premiums and medical costs. With nearly 1 in 5 Americans going without health coverage, this adds up.
What’s so bad about asking everybody to pull their share? By requiring that everybody carry insurance, in one form or another, insurance companies can then be expected to provide affordable coverage.
You can’t have one without the other. If insurance companies are forced to provide reasonable rates to all, regardless of age or condition, they have to be assured that everybody will be paying into the “pot” during the course of their lives.
Otherwise, why not simply wait until you get sick, or old, and then get the coverage? If you don’t require that everybody buy in, that’s like running a poker game where nobody has to ante up.
If you’re lucky, you haven’t had to deal with the harshness of the medical system as it’s now structured. It’s easy to take a stance on this, based on your political perspective, until suddenly you are in that other boat. Consider this simple scenario:
Let’s suppose you lose your job, and you’re in your fifties. You’ve paid health insurance your whole working career at various jobs. After being let go you get to continue your healthcare for six months or so, paying the full costs through COBRA payments.
Then the COBRA expires. And you are still out of work, or are doing temp work and have no company-sponsored insurance. And let’s suppose, like many people in their fifties, that you or your wife have some “pre-existing” conditions. Maybe you are diabetic, have asthma, or are simply over-weight. Maybe your wife had breast cancer three years ago. In the actuary tables, just being over fifty is a pre-existing condition.
Who’s going to insure you and your family? Insurance companies aren’t evil, but they are in the business to make money and they don’t want to touch you with a ten foot pole. If you do find something, it may cost you $3,000 a month, or $36,000 a year. Do you have that?
There are problems with the Obama healthcare law, no doubt about that, but requiring Americans to carry health insurance, and insuring that it is affordable, is a simple and sound thing. If there is anybody out there who doesn’t recognize that our current system is a complete mess, I’d like to order what you’re drinking.
Ironically, in 2006 Mitt Romney signed a bill into law in Massachusetts that also mandates insurance coverage. And as a Republican presidential contender he’s being castigated for it, as if this taints his conservative bona-fides.
I know this: Let you or a member of your family get seriously sick and your political views won’t matter much. You won’t care how it happens, or who pays, you’ll simply want the best care money and medical science can provide. Each and every one of us deserves that.
There’s no free lunch. And no free chemo either.
Mark Hastert
1 year, 5 months agoAw heck, just enroll every uninsured person in a Medicare like plan paid through their taxes. For that matter give everyone the option to do just that; I’d be happy to pay full premium for reliable insurance. We’d quickly see how much Americans like their current system.
I’d be willing to bet (not $10,000 but I sure wish I could) that the private insurers would suddenly become much more customer-centric and their premiums would go down too.
Michael Johnson
1 year, 5 months agoThere are several things wrong with a government mandate. First, it is likely an unconstitutional overreach of power. The Supreme Court will decide that matter next spring, and hopefully they will strike it down. I can’t imagine allowing government the power over everyone’s lives to force them into purchases for the so-called good of society. Secondly, the health care law as it is currently written will likely eventually mean an end to private health care insurance and a dependence on a single payer system with the government being the sole provider of health care. When the mandate takes effect, it is estimated that one third of companies will end their private health insurance benefit for their employees and throw them into the government pool. Additionally, the high cost of government-run health care adds to the cost of hiring new employees. The reason unemployment remains so high ever since Obamacare became law, is that companies see huge employee costs down the road. I am hiring fewer people due to this added burden to business. Does the insurance industry need to be reformed? Sure it does. Force insurance companies to compete nationally like car insurance companies do. Don’t give particular companies monopolies in particular areas. Mandate a basic level of insurance available to anyone, but make it available during an annual open season so people don’t wait to buy until they need coverage, forcing insurance companies to pay bills for someone who hasn’t paid into the pool. The last two things you want though, are the government forcing you into some act of commerce supposedly for your own good, and government running your health care system. Name one thing that government has done well, efficiently, profitably, and without political aims, and also imagine the people in Washington right now being in charge of your health care. Do you think they’re going to mandate the same coverage for themselves that they mandate for you? Seriously? This is the same government that gave Solyndra half a billion dollars of taxpayer money which Solyndra promptly squandered and then went out of business, the same government that bought up used cars for many times what they were worth only to crush them up, sold guns to Mexican drug cartels resulting in the death of 300 people and a U.S. border guard, bailed out banks and brokerages to the tune of 700 billion dollars at taxpayer expense, can’t keep track of some 20 - 30 million illegal aliens in this country, and by the way, are you going to force illegal aliens to purchase health care insurance? They typically get free or subsidized care. Shouldn’t they have to pay into the system too?
Mark Hastert
1 year, 5 months ago“Additionally, the high cost of government-run health care adds to the cost of hiring new employees.” Read more: http://voices.kansascity.com/entries/whats-so-wrong-with-requiring-health-insurance/#ixzz1gc1jKFmE
I’d have to disagree on this point. The VA provides quality care and more efficient than most private for profit schemes. Medicare’s overhead is lower as well.
I do agree that the competition would be tough on private insurers but if they are as good and cost effective as they claim to be they ought to be able to compete successfully and put an end to his debate.
Opponents to reform keep saying that they want to preserve freedom of choice so, let us have the choice of a public option too.
Joel Smith
1 year, 5 months agoMark Hastert is right.
Mark Robertson
1 year, 5 months agoYes, “there are problems with the Obama health care law,”(Obamacare)like the minor detail that it would end this country as we know it. If the federal government can force us to buy health care, what can’t it force us to do? This monstrosity would wreck business. It is already hurting the economy, because businesses are leary of hiring because they don’t know how to deal with Obamacare. They would be required to provide Obama approved health care or pay a fine. Is this the Soviet Union? Nearly 90 percent of people in the U.S. with health insurance are satisfied with their current health coverage. Why destroy the current system for the 10 million out of 300 million who are chronically without health insurance? Even those 10 million have options, such as free or reduced pay clinics and other charitable options. Obamacare is all about destroying private health insurance to pave the way for a single payer government run system. Such a system would destroy our health care system and destroy freedom as we have known it in the U.S.
The biggest lies are that Obamacare would lower health care costs, and that it would allow us to keep our current health coverage. Total lies. More direct pay, with such options as health savings accounts, is an answer to lowering costs. Solutions are found iin the free market, with private charity to help the poor. By the way, Obamacare’s own projections show that 23 million will still be without health insurance by 2019. What a sham. Thank you. Mark Robertson Indpendence
Mark Hastert
1 year, 5 months ago“You can have your public option myw, just don’t TELL me to pay for it!!! You want a public option on my dime—no dice”
Read more: http://voices.kansascity.com/entries/whats-so-wrong-with-requiring-health-insurance/#ixzz1gdECfhdx
What?!!??? You’re very likely getting your Medicare on My dime.
Seriously, I’ll pay my premiums gladly. Maybe the economy of scale and cash injectiopn from premium paying subscribers will bring down Mediacre costs for the old guys too. Just let me have MY choice. If ptivate insurers are so good then they will prosper.
Joel Smith
1 year, 5 months agoIf republicans cared anything at all for small business they would be all for a public option. The very idea that health care costs should be a part of any business model is ridiculous. None of our global competitors have these costs!
Mark Hastert
1 year, 5 months ago“the libs want all people treated as children that they, the libs, can boss around Deathweezel….”
“What could be better????”
Read more: http://voices.kansascity.com/entries/whats-so-wrong-with-requiring-health-insurance/#ixzz1ge96EN3y
Sounds like Medicare and Social Security
Mark Hastert
1 year, 5 months agoOpponents to a public option use any number of excuses but at the bottom on it all is the private insurers aren’t as efficient and don’t provide care at the levels their boosters claim they do. We should let the free market decide and allow people to opt in to a public plan like Medicare. The the insurers can pay their execs millions and pay out dividends and still beat the public option I’d be very surprised.