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Should the government force you to have insurance?
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Olivia_WebMD_Staff posted:
The Supreme Court is about to start its hearings regarding whether the new Health Care Reform law's requirement that all Americans buy some sort of health insurance or face a fine is constitutional.

What is your opinion? Should the government MAKE you have health insurance?
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katzdad replied to TRS1960's response:
I believe that suggestion came from former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop.
 
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katzdad replied to DavidHueben's response:
THE RIGHT TO PURCHASE HEALTH INSURANCE AND BE HEALTHY IS A RIGHT. REGARDLESS OF ILLNESS. WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO TELL ME I CAN'T HAVE INSURANCE. I AM AN INSULIN DEPENDENT DIABETIC AND THE LACK OF INSURANCE IS WORSE THAN THE CURE. WAKE UP !!!!!
 
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katzdad replied to apprd's response:
Health insurance is no longer a private product. That is typical Republican mentality.
 
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bob249 responded:
Health Insurance is Forced Charity without being tax deductible.

The healthy chip in to help pay the bills of the unhealthy.

The unhealthy accept the payments of the healthy without any obligation to give thanks. And the majority don't, probably because they still had to make premium payments and, of course, their co-payments.

Meanwhile, Providers hire clerical staff to interpret the rules and provide as much care as insurance plans allow.

And insurance employees receive pay increases every year regardless of the state of the economy or the financial status of their customers. If enrollment falls, just raise premiums.

The current system is good for health insurance companies ............ ONLY

Any modification, including the Affordable Care Act, that does not apply a lid on profit will NOT help.
 
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ttl04 replied to davedsel57's response:
I cant agree more. I have not had insurance for years. when i tried getting insurance they wanted almost $400 a month for me and my daughter. there was no way i could pay that. so I just pay everything with cash. i just hope that they make plans for "the working" people that we all can afford.
 
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Anon_181627 replied to ttl04's response:
no no no i want the freedom to choose my own ins if i cant get ins then i dont go to the doc
 
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DeadManWalking57 replied to Anon_181627's response:
People should all help themselves, at least stop eating most or all processed foods, and get to a much lower fat diet, and lower body weight.

Be concerned about your weight, get more active if you are not.

These things mainly require spending less at the grocery store.

Don't eat because their is food near your hands. Go for a walk.
Plant a fruit tree or two. Then the fruit is free.

Congress also needs to drop the mandate for emergency rooms to treat everyone regardless of ability to pay.

You can't expect a free car at a dealer, free clothes or jewelry at a department store. Few lawyers work for free. Why hospitals ?

If not having health insurance is to be an option, then hospitals and doctors can turn you away for inability to pay.

Mandate for the latter demands the mandate for the former.

Since food additives make people sick over time, tax the manufacture and sale of food additives to pay for health insurance. That might stop the practice.
 
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DeadManWalking57 replied to DeadManWalking57's response:
People who can't swim stay out of water, since they risk immediate death. The incentive to live provides immediate change in behavior.

People don't like sunburn. So they use sunblock, wear protective clothing, or stay out of the sun.

Provide enough incentive for people to need health insurance, by denying treatment if they can not pay, and they will figure out what they need, and either keep cash, or buy insurance, or live a more prudent life.

No medical freebies will let the issue resolve itself. Have insurance, pay cash, or stay home.

Simple economic principles.

Similar to the old hippie car slogan: a$$, cash, or stash; no one rides for free.

Work off the debt, pay the fee, provide something in exchange, or stay home.

Nothing free in healthcare, except reading about how to stay healthy.
 
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JenPBDBP2 replied to DeadManWalking57's response:
Congress also needs to drop the mandate for emergency rooms to treat everyone regardless of ability to pay.

You can't expect a free car at a dealer, free clothes or jewelry at a department store. Few lawyers work for free. Why hospitals ?

So the person with appendicitis but is uninsured because a policy costs more than they earn in a month must just resign themselves to a very nasty death?
 
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Anon_475 replied to JenPBDBP2's response:
And let's not even think about applying that to maternity ... Imagine the woman having a miscarriage at 20 weeks, or the one who has pre-eclampsia ...
 
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PooperScooper22 replied to bob249's response:
Just touching on the adjusted amount in the the bill breakdown. PPO insurance plans have contractual agreements with the providers of medical services that are "in-the-network." There is a negotiatied amount between providers and insurance companies that the provider can't bill over. Most doctors and facilities do over bill because they know that if they under bill then they are just out of potential earnings. However, without the insurance there is no one to negotiate the provider of the service down from their original price because there is no contract. Insurance is even more effective because even if noncovered services are rendered, there are still negotiated amounts to keep the beneficiary from being ripped off by the provider. Just a tidbit from an insurance agent.
 
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WHEELMANGUY47 responded:
HELL NO
 
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Daisyro replied to apprd's response:
I kind of agree with both views. If government is going to make you have insurance it needs to be government-funded or low cost enough that it can be paid for with minimum wage income. The government also requires car insurance without any affordability requirements.
However, on the other hand, I do not think it should be mandatory. But the reasons for the objection to this requirement are suspect in my opinion because when government started forcing people to have car insurance I was like a lonely canoe out in the raging sea. I argued against the policy then while most others that I encountered argued that they didn't like their car insurance rates going up when someone is in an accident and doesn't have insurance.
 
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purplegpsy88 replied to apprd's response:
You go sir. My thoughts exactlly.
 
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purplegpsy88 responded:
If they force insurance, then why can'nt they tell us who should live or should you live????


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