steve
Perhaps you are unaware that every business in every sector "conforms" to laws and regulations. Governments set those laws and regulations in order to provide order and protections to citizens. Companies that provide life insurance, car insurance or house insurance have to conform to the state laws and requirements for all of those forms of insurance. Why should it be different for health care insurance?
As for why your choice of insurance affects other people...well its similar to the mandate for minimum levels of insurance for drivers. it protects not only the driver, but the entire driving public from the consequences of a calamity. Same with health insurance. The difference is that you can choose NOT to drive. But you can't currently choose NOT to be treated in the emergency room after an accident...
I agree with you that the idea of forcing people to buy insurance is a difficult concept. But until those who don't pay insurance are compelled to sign waivers removing liability from anyone, including the government, who refuses to provide health care of any kind if the signatory cannot show ability to pay in advance ....then you have a problem.
And that problem is free loaders. people unwilling to pay their share of the health care burden until and unless they actually need the care.
As long as you live in a society that is unwilling to let people die on the emergency room door step, you have this problem. In countries where health care is considered a right but one that comes with responsibility, mostly the health care premium is from taxation. What your country seems burdened with is that health care, at least when people become threatened by death, is a right, but a lot of people want to avoid paying their share of that burden... (See Rays comment above and the "cherry picking" that his respondent wants to do..."
They don't "compete." They "conform."
They have to conform to the regulations of each State. States require all manner of things that I have no desire to buy. Should everyone have to buy "cadillac" coverage?
Perhaps you are unaware that every business in every sector "conforms" to laws and regulations. Governments set those laws and regulations in order to provide order and protections to citizens. Companies that provide life insurance, car insurance or house insurance have to conform to the state laws and requirements for all of those forms of insurance. Why should it be different for health care insurance?
As for why your choice of insurance affects other people...well its similar to the mandate for minimum levels of insurance for drivers. it protects not only the driver, but the entire driving public from the consequences of a calamity. Same with health insurance. The difference is that you can choose NOT to drive. But you can't currently choose NOT to be treated in the emergency room after an accident...
I agree with you that the idea of forcing people to buy insurance is a difficult concept. But until those who don't pay insurance are compelled to sign waivers removing liability from anyone, including the government, who refuses to provide health care of any kind if the signatory cannot show ability to pay in advance ....then you have a problem.
And that problem is free loaders. people unwilling to pay their share of the health care burden until and unless they actually need the care.
As long as you live in a society that is unwilling to let people die on the emergency room door step, you have this problem. In countries where health care is considered a right but one that comes with responsibility, mostly the health care premium is from taxation. What your country seems burdened with is that health care, at least when people become threatened by death, is a right, but a lot of people want to avoid paying their share of that burden... (See Rays comment above and the "cherry picking" that his respondent wants to do..."