Results
Total of 60,364 votes
14.3%
Require everyone to have insurance, or else face a heavy fine.
8,652 votes
31.3%
Require most people to have a bare-bones "catastrophic" coverage plan, but don't fine those who cannot afford to buy it.
18,880 votes
54.4%
Don't require anyone to have insurance. It's an infringement of rights to make citizens buy a product they might not need.
32,832 votes
Leave a Comment:
We live in a free world or we used to think we did. Freedoms diminish with growing governments. Growing governments turn into regulation and tyranny. We have the right to choose the way we live our lives, not the government!
I differ only in the sense that people are always over eating and over drinking in other words over indulging that makes them unhealthy. Unless those same people take care and exercise and do the above in moderation, they (society that over indulges) has to be treated like children. Unfortunately, at the expense of those who do take care of their health.
Prissypoo:
Why should those who do have to pay for those who don't? Why should those who work pay for those who won't. What does treating them like a child mean? The everyone else pays for their screw ups? Some people learn about personal responsibility as children, some people learn it later on. Most of people start making better decisions in life because they get tired of paying for or suffering the consequences of the bad decisions they make. (It's called growing up). Why should a person quit smoking for example, if I don't have to pay for the healthcare I going to need because of the smoking? We have know for more than 50 years that smoking is BAD for your health, but I expected to pay for the healthcare of those who chose to ignore that fact. And trust me, the majority of our healthcare dollars are spent on people who smoke.
This question would be answered by itself if there was a government plan to cover all people. This question is probably one of the biggest problems with insurance care, other than regulating the insurance industry. The public option would give everyone a chance to buy insurance at a reasonable cost, then it should be required of all citizens and thus lowering the cost to all. If there is no public option it is hard to tell everyone that they have to have insurance, even when they can't afford it and at the same time it would just line the pockets of the insurance industry if we made all people to carry insurance.
Everyone should have some type of health insurance. No one knows when they might need critical care no matter what their age is.
John, An excellent point. While I'm happy that the current legislation has passed, I do thing a government plan will have to be the ultimate solution.
My major problem with this debate is how selfish the opponents of such legislation sound. I have no doubt that they're already insured through their jobs that are paying them enough money to live comfortably. My thinking is that you're already paying into private plans through money that would otherwise go towards your hourly wage or yearly salary. So rather than have that money you never see go to a private insurer, allow it to go to the government into a plan that covers you, and everyone else in the country. Everyone that makes enough to file income taxes should have to pay into that plan.
And we need to accept the fact that the extremely poor need access to health care even more than the rest of us. If cheap preventive care were offered to such people, their need for ER visits and other actions that we foot the bill for would be reduced. If we all looked out for each other in this country instead of all being obsessed with our own wants and desires constantly, everyone would benefit.
Kassidy - you are a FREAKING MORON! Who the heck are you to tell me that my family should havea lower standard of living so someone I don't know can get a government handout. If I am forced to work but hand over my earnings and let someone else decide what to do with my money, I am not going to be very motivated...why should I do anything if I can sit around and get everything for free? Self preservation is a good thing. Money is a good motivator, it is not evil. If I want to work harder to have a better life, I should be able to without having to give it away. Politic ions are real "do gooders" with other people's money. The real bottom line is that this whole Obama care debate isn't even about people having better health care, it is about the Obama and the Dems quest for ultimate power and control. If this was an honest debate, they wouldn't have had to shove this through behind closed doors. Wake up!
Kassidy, You have to be joking about paying money to the government and have it pay for what is actually intended. That has never happened . Before you say S.S it's nearly bankrupt funds have already been spent elsewhere. How about the great shape medicare and medicaid are in,or maybe the postal service. Please show me a government run program that is a success. There are none. The all for one ,one for all scenario only works if All are willing to put forth the same effort and make the same sacrifices, a small percentage are not yet EXPECT the benefits of someone else's labor.
Everyone will need medical care at some point, and most people will need catastrophic care. The people who say they don't need health insurance probably don't endorse preventive health care either, and it is preventive health care that often minimizes the need for catastrophic care.
Throughout the history of our country, the concept of "Freedoms" (defining of them, not diminishing them) has been a work in progress. The issue is more closely related to the level of vested interest we all have in what being an American means. Over time, that level has only increased. As long as I have a say in how the level increases (that it's heard and considered), I have no problem with the increase (or whether I "win" or "loose"). Where I get frustrated is when participation is replaced by pomposity, and the entire legislative branch of government becomes dysfunctional.
My copy of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy doesn't give me clear details how to get off this rock!
While I believe it is important to have insurance coverage at the high costs of insurance there are many people who just cannot afford it. I have been one of those people myself. I did without insurance for over 10 years. Luckily, today I have it but only through the coverage my husbands company provides for us. I still could not afford the cost if I had to pay for it out of my own pocket. Telling people they have no choice but to buy coverage is just unreasonable. If I had an extra $10-15,000.00 a year I would purchase coverage myself. And NO, I was lucky during those years I had no coverage and did not have a need to go to the doctor. Today is a different story. Without coverage, I would not be able to continue to work.
To lower rising health care costs, doctors and hospitals should not be forced to cover illigal immigrants. The burden of this costs is a huge reason costs continue to rise. It's the American people's tax dollars currently covering this. I'm not cold hearted, but I'm tired of covering illegal immigrants and sending money over seas to help everyone when there is so much need right here at home. Before we support everyone else, we need to support America and those legally here, those whom's tax dollars contribute to our current system. Carrying the weight of everyone else only adds burden to our already strained system. Help and care needs to start at home FIRST.
We already require people to purchase automobile insurance. You can not get your licesne plates renewed without providing proof of insurance. Should we do away with this requirement to protect our 'freedoms'. This is nothing new.
Tim, driving an automobile is a privilege not a right that can be taken away at any time. automobile is for the protection of others thatyou are sharing the road with. You can CHOOSE not to drive and have to purchase nothing. By the analogy i see on many of these posts everyone should have to contribute to an automobile insurance fund so there will be lowere premiums for those that do drive regardless of personal habits ie; multitude of tickets and or accidents. All of this comes down to personal choices whether a person chose not to finish school,refuses to move to an area that has jobs that pay a living wage,drug use,or a multitude of bad PERSONAL choices,and yes not purchasing health insurance because you didn't think you needed it at the time is a choice that person made. Most of these problems are from bad personal choices and should not be payed for by those who have been responsible.
Nobody wants the government to "force" them to buy insurance.........
But EVERYBODY wants a free ride when they show up at the emergency room with a problem but no insurance.
I DONT WANT TO PAY FOR THE UNDERINSURED ANY MORE
I'm sick and tired of paying for the services that others take without putting into the system thru insurance.
If that means the Federal Government forcing "takers" to buy insurance, then so be it.
Here's the FIX for Health Care:
1) STOP THE HANDOUTS: stop paying for the under-insured, illegal immigrants, etc
2) MORE COMPETITION: we don't have it, Corporate America has made sure of that.
3) STOP THE ENTITLEMENT: Americans want someone else to pay the tab while they piss and moan about Democrats and Republicans.
Republicans say they have a fix: they don't. Democrats say they have a fix: they don't.
Neither plans(s) address the core issue of the problem: WE BITCH & MOAN ABOUT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUT WE'RE ADDICTED TO IT LIKE A DRUG, thanks to our elected officials bringing home the bacon.
I essentially agree with Mike. I am a nurse for almost forty years, and I see what he describes. Hospitals overbill folks with private insurance to cover all the people who voted they shouldn't be forced to pay for insurance coverage. Well, after an accident, how would you like the hospital ER to toss you in the street because you have no coverage? Of course the hospital won't, but the rest of us will pay for you. I would have liked President Obama to convene a summit with health care workers, specifically nurses, social workers, physicians' assistants. We could tell him quite clearly where the issues are, and we don't have a lobby for him to worry about appeasing. In my intensive care unit, we regularly keep patients extra days because their insurance covers hospitalization but no care at home. Do you know HOW EXPENSIVE that is? Do you know how expensive FUTILE END OF LIFE CARE is? I am not talking "death squads"; I am talking patients with terminal illnesses whose families cannot leave them go in peace. They subject them to painful treatment after treatment. It is sickening, and disheartening, and medical professionals must agree to the wishes of the families. Sorry to go on.....enough said.
I don't want to pay for fat, un-healthy people that don't give a darn about their health. Our society is getting fat, stupid and un-healthy and I'm sick of seeing fat people soak up the medical resources while complaining about their costs.
You want health care reform: put down the cigarettes, the cola's, the big macs and all the un-healthy garbage the food industry creates and you choose to put on your plate.
Do this and our drug industry and health care industry will be scratching their heads about how to make a buck.
You want to eat, drink & smoke your way thru life: great......do it at your own expense. get a good plan, you'll need it.
I don't think it's fair to require people to have health insurance when they don't think that they need that expense. But on the other hand, it is equally unfiar to require a hospital emergency room to 'eat' the cost of treating someone that was irresponsible enough to not have insurance in the first place. This drives up the cost of care for the insurred because these 'freebees' have to be paid for by someone.
I think that this health care reform is a good idea and insurance costs are getting out of hand. But if this is not handled very carefully it WILL turn our to be a disaster.
Unfortunately, the government has many issues. Its not serving it full purpose as it was created for. However, I do feel that people should be required to buy "only if" the government would make it affordable for ALL! It certainly should not be a "for-profit" system. I don't think its fair that I pay over $5000/yr but if somebody who doesn't pay for insurance but makes 50k/yr breaks their leg or have a heart-attack, they can still go to the Dr. and get a minimum service. The problem then becomes, the have bad credit so they never pay the Dr. if you make under a certain amount then you should be allowed a discounted rate or some type of help. But what we are paying high cost for is the uninsured that still gets treated cause the government forces the Dr. to give. so lets start forcing them to have it. UNLESS you certainly can't afford it. That's why realistically it just needs to be reformed to a Not-for-profit system like other countries! FREEDOM does not mean FREE to live.
a government option so insurance companies can no longer run wild
So, following the logic of the majority, we SHOULD allow people to only buy car insurance after they have totalled their car, or life insurance only AFTER they die???
Most of the underinsured/uninsured are there because they work for small companies that can't afford the fees charged by the death panels -- er I mean health insurance companies. Small companies (< 50 employees) by the way are over 75% of the private sector in this country - and there are plenty of healthy people in there -- not all of them are obese, drug addicted slobs.....
However, our tax dollars are already paying for medical services for people that don't have coverage. Why not a single payer plan that may not be exaggerated in cost because of higher co-pays and possibly higher taxes on unhealthy lifestyles such as tobacco, alcohol. Requiring higher co-pays under the single payer plan might curb frequent office visits thus cutting costs. If people want additional coverage they could by it from private insurers. The government could also cut cost under the single payer plan by not covering elected procedures. If that is not an attractive plan for Americans than Washington should focus on just covering those that don't have coverage. An expansion of Medicare.
Follow me on this one people: "Taxation without Representation". As soon as I find a state withdrawing from the Union, I'm there.
No one really delved into the reasons why health care costs keep rising. Don't you think rates will rise if companies are required to insure children(???) till they're 27 or that all conditions will be covered, that illegal aliens will be covered, that added beaureaucracy and administrative costs will be added. Dream on. Remember, the people who passed this ARE NOT AFFECTED, now or in the future. Show me an ex confressman who is on medicare or SS.
Our political system is broken because of Democrats and Republicans who were supposed to be elected to watch out for the good of the people of this country don't. Instead we have a bunch of self interested hypocrites who will ignore their ethics and take millions from corporations at the overall detriment to the American people. You want to change something... Put term limits on our Senators and Congressmen...Outlaw Lobbyists...Keep campaign contributions limited... limit campaign spending by candidates. With those ideas in place you might find worthy politicians who are accountable to the people.
Regarding Health Care at least it is a step forward. Don't tell me how you want to throw it out show me how you will make it better. Work together and get something done.
I am very exited about the approval. I still have very hard time to understand why so many people are so afraid of the possible negative outcome. For sure, it looks like the ones who have, and can afford, a health coverage, don't care about the ones that are struggling about having it. Is the old story: who has a privilege, will fight to death to keep it, just for being afraid of losing something. Almost everybody agrees on the fact that the present situation is totally dysfunctional, but then, when it comes for changing it, "oh my God, don't do anything!" This attitude is also DYSFUNCTIONAL.
Again, ALL the most advanced countries have a universal health insurance, with no more overall budget problems we are having here. Don't listen to the invented stories that have been told: just take the time to verify the reality by your self!!!
I can only say that, as for all the major changes, it will take time for understanding the great and positive impact of this plan on our society.
Once when I was younger my father explained something to me that makes nothing but sense to me even today. He said "The founding fathers gave us freedoms that no one in the world had then or now. Each and every time we pass a law, we give up some of that freedom. (think about it) Now the piont comes when you give up so much of your freedoms that the only way to get them back, is bloodshed, just like they did in our liberating Revelutionary war."
I think we all hope and pray that day will never come, but if it isn't here now, it is awfully close!! We MUST stop giving up our freedoms!!
The only reason why I would say that they should require people to have insurance is because they require doctors to help people who don't have insurance. If you don't think they should require people to have insurance than you should surely not believe that doctors should have to help someone dieing who does not have insurance. Otherwise you would just be a freeloader. I think if you require one, you should require the other, or don't require either.
Democrats and Obama are retards!!! And the silent majority will kick the Demobama's way back to go. Demobamas' and Rino"s be prepared to lose.All you idiots probably would lick the boot! And the real idiots are the blacks,for voting just for race! Morons!