Virginia Senate Bans Mandatory Health Insurance Coverage

Hey folks, let's think here. How does insurance work? A group of people pay in, then the unfortunate ones who have events (accidents with car insurance, diseases and accidents with health care) draw from that money.
- To make it work for the insurer, people can't just sign up once they've had an accident. (That's called adverse selection).
- To make it work for the insured, the insurer can't just drop them once they have an accident. (That's called cherry picking, or simply screwing people.)

For the system, to work, you've got to manage BOTH SIDES. People can't have the freedom to only sign up for insurance once they've had an accident, and insurance companies can't drop you when you have an accident.

Unfortunately, the system has tipped in favor of the insurer. You can't sign up if you've got a pre-existing condition, BUT they can drop you -- even if you've paid into the system your whole life -- once you have an "accident." (i.e a health problem.) So, if you want reform... YOU HAVE TO SOLVE BOTH SIDES AT THE SAME TIME. You can't be dropped when you have an accident (get a "pre-existing condition.") AND everyone has to pay in (mandatory coverage).

Now, if you've never ever had a health problem and don't think you ever will, this might concern you. Why should I have to pay for insurance? Why should I let my insurance costs go up by not letting insurance companies drop people that actually cost them money? Well, that's what insurance is... coverage for things you don't think will happen. I ask you, if you don't want to pay for any insurance or you don't want your premiums to go up because insurance companies can no longer drop people... I ask you: Are you prepared to die for your belief if you are unlucky?

Bravo. They told Big Insurance and it's assumed Monopoly
over the Gummint that We the People aren't for sale, and that
no condition of slavery will ever be tolerated in the USA. Bravo.
All it takes in one State with American Revolution roots to lead.
As Daymon Wayans used to say: Homey don't play dat.

i guess this a 'state's rights issue'. massachusetts has had mandatory, and free
health care for a few years now.

The insurance compaines win the public is screwed.

Without the Public Option mandatory health insurance is going to cause waaay more problems than it solves. I still want the public option dammit!

hell yes. states rights all the way

I agree I WANT HEALTH CARE REFORM FOR ALL THE RIGHT REASON, BUT IT SHOULD NOT BE A MANDATORY LAW! People should have the right to choose if they want health care or not. PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE THE CHOICE OF A PUBLIC OPTION OR UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE PLAN THAT IS NOT FORCE A POND THEM! Rather a personal choice for every America BUT WE SHOULD HAVE THAT CHOICE.

Haha. You Pinkos must be fuming. Looks like the states are going to opt out of Barry's dreams for a socialist empire.

Another notch for government working properly. Instead of going tea-baggin complaining about big bad government and Obama is a marxist, these citizens decided to utilize their tools of democracy and government to solve problems they have issue with.

This is where all you big government scared-ee cats lose your entire argument. I will continue to point out these instances of a properly working government If your government isn't working properly, it's because your not doing right.

I can't say I disagree with Virginia on this one, though not for the reason some would think. If Obama isn't able to insert a public option into health reform, then all mandatory coverage does is give private health insurers 45 million new customers that the government will have to subsidize because of the cost. Put another way, if private insurers refuse to accept a government funded public option, why should they be allowed to profit from the same tax dollars they fought to prevent the government from spending on the public option?

On one hand "forced insurance" purchase is ridiculous, but universal insurance is another thing. The whole world benefits from universal healthcare, except Africa, the middle east, Mexico, and the US. Thats our lot we have more in common with despotic countries, are you f-ing kidding me?
The fact there's an opposition to the system proves without a doubt we're so broken as a nation that listing the problems would give me arthritis. Trust me almost no one in europe, asia, costa rica is trying to get rid of the socialized system they've had since ww1 and no one would take it away without a civil war.

Ya know what I think the opposition to socialized medicine is just in opposition anything to keep the left - right battle going on so I have a suggestion to the left in the US... Support universal air and water, since the opposition is so bent on fighting their own interest they will rally against it by not breathing socialized air, or drink socialized water and voila problem solved. While the opposition is busy trying to learn to drink sludge and breathe carbon monoxide the so called progressives can come out of hiding to bring the US up to code. The funny thing is I'm being semi serious..

Forty one Senators have now signed on to a public option to be introduced as an amendment during reconciliation process to pass health care reform. There are several more who have not signed on due to positions they hold on Senate sub-commitees who will vote yea for the public option. We are now only a few votes away. Call, email snail mail but contact your Senator if he or she is a democrat and pressure them to vote yea on public oprion language in the reconciliation amendment to be proposed. We are very close.

Hurray!

Mandatory health care coverage without a public option is a joke. I wouldn't fault anyone for refusing to subsidize the heath care industry.

Mandatory involvement is necessary to make the system work for everyone. We don't have mandatory requirement now and do you see how our health system is working? It is mandatory to have auto liability to make the auto insurance system work. In some places it is mandatory to have flood insurance so everyone else doesn't have to pay for your damage. To have union protection dues are mandatory. It is mandatory to pay taxes to make local and federal government work. Because you pay mandated taxes you don't have to pay the fire department for saving your house. Mandatory financial involvement in a group is necessary to insure individual well being.

What I want to know is how did the mandate to purchase insurance end up in the bill? Was it in the original proposal or was it added in an effort to appease the Republicans and make the whole thing seem more bipartisan?

States do not have the right to overide federal law. Virginia should have paid a higher price in the civil war to learn that lesson.