Cannot afford health insurance - go directly to jail

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One of the proposals in the P.S.A. congress is to make those who are unable or unwilling to buy health insurance pay a hefty fine. If the person cannot do that, then the penalty is up to 1 year in jail or another $25000 fine.

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If this passes, I will be supported by taxpayers while I rot in my cell. I cannot afford to pay $1200 per month for a plan I cannot even use.

$1200 per month?! !! That can't be right.

I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, the libertarian streak in me feels that the government should not have the right to compel anyone to purchase something that they do not wish to take part in. On the other hand, if you don't have insurance and end up having to visit the emergency room and you are unable to pay for it, then this leads to hospitals compensating and trying to recoup their losses by raising prices on everyone else. And that doesn't seem fair either.

You are being fed misinformation... the federal government does not have the power under the US constitution to force you to buy health insurance... any law passed that say's you have to will be struck down as unconstitutional in short order... The Wall Street Journal explored the possibility in a recent editorial (which I'm too lazy to look up or I'd give you a link)...

There will be no death panels.
There will be no imprisonment for failure to participate.
There will be no mandatory asset reporting.

These are lies designed to scare you off, put out there by the folks who will suffer most if the health care bill passes, namely the large health insurance companies. They are paying radio and television commentators to frighten you, and they are lobbying congress to add clauses nobody wants just to kill the bill.

Read the 10th amendment to the constitution.

Then write your congressman, and tell him you won't vote for a congressman who votes to approve any statute that violates the 10th amendment.

Actually, the notion of making health insurance mandatory like auto insurance has been raised, but the concept of putting people in jail over it is preposterous - our prisons are already so overcrowded, they're forced to toss dangerous felons back onto the street with a slap on the wrist. The federal government would have to eradicate national parks to have room for all the prison cells they'd have to build to house the indigent poor. Once you're in prison, your health care is taken care of. Hey - that's the solution - just build a wall around the country and make the entire US a prison. Then all our health care (and immigration) problems will be solved!

Besides, I thought Big Brother was going to provide health care free for everybody anyway, with all that money he has left over from bailing out the banks and the auto manufacturers. Surely there's plenty more on the Chinese money tree.

First to further respond to the OP, the bill does not call for prison sentences for those who choose not to purchase health insurance. I think you would have to pay around a $1,000 fine. But keep in mind, a major bulk of the cost of the bill is to provide subsidies to poor people to assist them in buying health insurance in the private market. Insurance companies have no problem with this for the most part because it means more business for them. Insurance companies are probably most worried about provisions which require them to cover EVERYONE regardless of preexisting conditions.

As for the possibility of this type of bill being struck down by the Supreme Court as unconstitutional, i would be SHOCKED if this happened. We can make a side bet on this if you wish haha. For starters, state statutes have not been struck down which require people to purchase auto insurance, and the U.S. Supreme Court certainly has the power to strike down state laws. I see your point that when strictly interpreted, this type of health insurance bill could be viewed as unconstitutional. In the early 1800s, many felt the Louisiana Purchase was unconstitutional. In the 1960s, many people felt that the federal government had no right whatsoever to pass civil rights legislation and as an example, to force businesses particularly in the South to serve African Americans. But many statutes passed by Congress are interpreted as constitutional simply because they are viewed as pertaining to the interstate commerce clause of the Constitution. "Dispute exists as to the range of powers granted to Congress by the Commerce Clause." (from wikipedia). But even if this made it to the Supreme Court, 5 justices would have to strike it down, and even many conservatives view it to be judicial activism when the Supreme Court, an unelected body, overturns a law or statute passed by a democratically elected legislature, whether it be a state assembly or the U.S. Congress.

But who knows, maybe the 10th Amendment will make a comeback. I doubt it will be championed though by any future appointees from President Obama.

I understand the Constitution very well. It is too bad that the government and the courts either do not or refuse to abide by it. Unfortunately, the constitution is ignored or disobeyed on a routinely. One of the courts favorite argument for allowing government agencies to disobey the constitution is "compelling interest." Compelling interest is not found in the U.S. constitution nor is any permission given to the courts by the constitution to disregard any provisions based upon "compelling interest."

Do you get the 200$ when you pass Go ?

I don't consider auto insurance "mandatory" - if you don't own an automobile; or, don't drive;, or drive only on your farm property for instance; then, you don't have to have the insurance.

You choose to set up the situation whether you are required to have it or not.

With this, you have to have health insurance simply because you exist.

If you ride in a car, bus, plane, or train, you are covered by someone's insurance. The cost is either integrated into your fare or into the policies that drivers carry to cover uninsured motorists. It's mandatory and we all pay for it one way or another. For some reason we have agreed that the idea of someone uninsured wrecking a Porsche is too risky, but when it comes to human life, let the chips fall where they may.

Health insurance should indeed be mandatory. It's the only way to level out the costs and guarantee the right for everyone. The basis is not to penalize those struggling financially, but to help them finally afford insurance. There would, of course, be subsidies and let's not forget how many Americans go bankrupt due to medical expenses (most of which are unforseen).

Either that, or not treat people who cannot pay.

ruveyn

We already pay for a number of mandatory insurances from our hourly pay. (If your earning come from capital gains, your exempt from most of the mandatory insurances and taxes)

There is Social Security, Unemployment Insurance, and a number of other State & Federal Taxes. There is the fringe argument that taxes are unconstitutional because the 16th Amendment wasn't ratified...

I believe this health care battle is a smoke and mirrors act to keep people from focusing on the economy.

As I see things in an overall perspective, that is the globalists' very goal for the entire world.

Goerge Orwell ("1984") warned us in 1948.