Is an Individual Mandate for Everyone to Buy Health Insurance a Good Idea?

A moral imperative, or a big dollar lobbyist boondoggle?

By U.S. News Staff

September 25, 2009 RSS Feed Print

A key aspect of healthcare reform debate is whether to have an individual mandate legally requiring that each citizen carry health insurance. Critics call it an industry boondoggle, but advocates say it is morally and fiscally necessary. Is such a mandate needed? In this week's U.S. News Weekly, former U.S. Senate majority leader and Tennessee Republican William H. Frist argues for a mandate, while Dick Armey, Texas Republican and former U.S. House majority leader, argues against it. Read the debate and weigh in below.

Should Health Insurance be Required of Everyone?



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I say no. There are several reasons.

First, such a requirement is unconstitutional. The government can't require you to carry insurance. They also can't require a business to carry insurance on all of their employees.

Beyond that issue, such a requirement is a tax increase. I am totally pposed to any tax increase at this time.

There are things that the government can do to improve the healthcare system. One would be litigation reform so that Doctors don't have to practice defensive medicine. Another would allow insurance companies to offer insurance across state lines to anyone.

Noone should be required to buy insurance that they don't want. The individual should make the final decision

Ken Games of WV 10:27AM September 28, 2009

I say yes - in an ideal world health insurance should not be required - then if an individual got sick or got in an accident - society would not take care of him/her - however I can not see that happening. If health insurance were not required - many people with a choice between things to spend money on will choose the option that gives immediate gratification as opposed to health insurance - which like all insurance the may not need. In other words they roll the dice and society picks up the tab if it rolls the wrong way.

An interesting example - flood insurance is fairly inexpensive and many people go bare - however - when a flood occurs - the Federal Government subsidizes these people's poor choice. The same thing happens with health care now.

There are certainly things that can be done to make health insurance cheaper - a) Tort reform and b) allowing it to be purchased across state lines c) eliminating state by state mandates, etc

Paul Lorimer of TX 6:32PM September 26, 2009

Why is it that the media and politicians avoid talking about the fact that America's healthcare industry is FOR PROFIT. I bet costs would go down dramatically if we adopted a system like the Europeans or Canadians have. Forcing people to have insurance is a mute point if the hospitals are free to go to... like most other modern industrialized countries. Why is America letting people suffer? It's the money. Always has been, always will be. Wake up to the corruption of the system. This is a case in point.

Ryan of MN 10:23AM September 26, 2009

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