I always think of things like this...For example, when I was told that if you are driving through a snowstorm and you go into the ditch, you will be fined just because you are driving in bad weather...I asked "Well what if you are on your way to see your mother who is on her death bed?"

So I bring you the question...

If health insurance becomes manditory for everyone, what about the people who don't go to the doctor ever because they don't believe in conventional medicine? They will never ever use the medicine, so they will be paying for nothing! Why couldn't they sign some document that they agree not to be taken to the hospital for anything and this would enable them to not pay for insurance?

I don't know if this entirely applies to me...I mean, I guess if I needed a transfusion I'd go to the hospital. But my insurance company is going to keep the vast majority of the money I pay them...since I won't set foot in a doctor's office.

People do have accidents. Broken bones. Toxic fumes. Newly discovered genetic problems. Athletic concussions. Sometimes alt med can't fix things fast enough. Some things take time to work. Infrastructure problems mostly require immediate assistance.

I treat health insurance like I treat auto insurance. It's for accidents. I've paid auto insurance for 40 years. Did not use it until last years hail storm. It wasn't something I could fix.

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- Jim

‘Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened.’ Sir Winston Churchill

The whole point of insurance is to spread risk. It is known that x amount of people will have very few claims, and that extra money collected from them goes to pay for the x amount of people that will have a lot of claims.

It is supposed to average out the risk, but it also encourages running to the doctor for every minor problem, as no matter how much you use it, your individual cost will not go up.

They attempt to correct this behavior with co-pays and deductibles.

That said, I doubt it will become compulsory, at least not on a Federal level.
I cannot see that surviving the supreme court, and many exemptions have already been given out.

Until they address the root cause of the problem which is the high cost of conventional medical care, the rest is not going to accomplish much.

Insurance does little to reduce overall cost. There are structural problems that need to be corrected that could reduce costs in a short time. The problem is that it would require some back bone from our political leaders, and that is something that is in short supply.

Dan

I'm like jfh, will never be without health or auto insurance. My husband and I rarely go to the doctor, but if we had something severe happen suddenly, or were in a car crash, etc. we want to be covered for the expenses which can be tremendously high, and be in control of the situation. It's the only smart and responsible thing to do. Like Dan said, bringing down the inflated medical costs and the cost of insurance premiums for the individual would be the way to go, the only fair way. Greed can be replaced with human compassion, wouldn't that be nice?

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"Don't regret growing older, it's a privilege denied to many" ~unknown~

health insurance is already mandatory. the government already forces most employers to join a type of HMO for their employees.

Looks like up to 30% of doctors are threatening to quit if the Obama Health Plan is implemented.

http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/a...octor-shortage

kind2creatures, if you think that having health insurance assures that you are in control of the situation you better think again, most seriously.

We don't have insurance. If something terrible happens we just die. If we can make it we head for Mexico. I spent 3.5 hours in an ER in Mexico recently, had lab work, a sonogram and consult with 3 physicians... the total cost was $200. follow up visits of which I had two, were free..... this, after seeing a doctor in the states and paying out of pocket $800 plus $450 in insurance.. and they didn't fix the problem, they gave no diagnosis or treatment, but wanted me to go for more tests with a different doctor. In Mexico in 3.5 hrs I got a diagnosis and a treatment that works.

This hospital I went to in Mazatlan is known for its expert cardiac care and surgical procedures.... although my issue was not of that nature.... Sharp Hospital.... and almost everyone spoke English.

I don't think that Obama care will ever be implemented.

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It is irrelevant to them. You are just a warm body that can cough up money. Signs of a police state, a dictatorship, and loss of constitution.

Employers, many, if not most do not provide mandatory health insurance. The employee must sign on to it and purchase it through the employeer and that purchase is not mandatory, except in maybe Massachusuetts..