There are fines attached to the Health Care bill that was just passed by the House.
The Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, suggests that the “compulsory” aspect of this program is the most dangerous part:
The most hazardous health reform measure before Congress is not the so-called “public option,” but proposals to make health insurance compulsory via an individual or employer mandate.
Compulsory health insurance could require nearly 100 million Americans to switch to a more expensive health plan and would therefore violate President Barack Obama’s pledge to let people keep their current health insurance. In particular, the legislation before Congress could eliminate many or all health savings account plans.
But … who’s enforcing this? Who’s going to make sure that you have a “qualified health care plan,” and further, who’s checking and enforcing the fines?
In Pennsylvania (and other states), there’s a parallel in terms of mandatory auto insurance. But you can drive a long time without it, and if you don’t have an accident, well, you can drive a long time without it.
But if you do have an accident, that’s the time when it’s enforced. So too with health care insurance. It’ll be enforced at the time of need. That means some sort of police force or collection agency stationed at hospitals. I just see a train wreck coming ahead if the senate passes a similar bill.
There are free-market options to reduce the cost of health care.
