Originally Posted by dc_dux

I agree it is not the perfect solution.

At the same time, every time a person w/o insurance goes to the emergency room for routine care or has an emergency operation and then reneges on the bill, you and I pay it in higher premiums. Where is the personal accountability here?

Every time someone with a communicable disease goes to work or school because they didnt have health insurance to visit a doctor, others are impacted.

We cant force people to be healthy, we can force them to at least have the mechanism in place to minimize those particular potential adverse impacts.

Taxes are a burden we bear for the greater good.

I dont like the fact that a large percentage of my local property taxes go to public education when I no longer have a child in the public education system, but thats how the system works. I can choose not the pay that bill and face the consequences.

I dont like the fact that 20 cents of every one of my tax dollars ends up in the pocket of Haliburton or other defense contractors to pay for a war that I dont support. I can choose not to pay and face the consequences.

And the fact remains that most of the uninsured who will refuse to purchase insurance will either be at an income below the level to be penalized (3X the poverty level) or at an income (above 3X the poverty level - ie, about $65k for a family of four) where they can chose to pay $1500 fine or purchase affordable insurance (which would benefit the family).

The "go to jail" scenario is so extreme that it will virtually impact no one other than those who choose to be martyrs. The IRS is not going to prosecute someone for $1500 bucks.