Mitt Romney defends individual mandate.

RCP ^ | November 22, 2011 | Staff

[vbmoneyspender]

That America worked relatively well until Obamacare is not a platitude, it’s a fact. The Federal Gov’t is particularly adept at coming up with cures that are worse than the disease.

[Lazamataz]

Oh God. Another Concern Troll. GTFO this forum, rodent.

[ontap]

I don’t like Obamacare any more than you do for more important reasons than individual mandates. The question remains, in the real world what do you do?

[MortMan]

Sorry - I had to backtrack to your original post. Where you said “hospital”, I read “emergency room”, which is the crux of my response. I was speaking to the regulations for emergency treatment, as opposed to the billing/governmental insurance policies.

As for the overall medical system, you are correct, medicaid is the safety net/hammock (in some cases) that gets used in cases like this.

[ontap]

Not only used but abused!

[vbmoneyspender]

In our federal system, it’s not a big enough problem to justify the heavy hand of governmental intervention. But if people disagree, they are always free to move from red states likes Texas or North Dakota to nanny states like Massachusetts.

[ontap]

You don’t think medicain is a big problem? Where have you been?

[Lazamataz]

ANOTHER troll. Wow, they are popping out of the woodwork today!

[ontap]

medicain=medicaid

[ontap]

Evidently you don’t have anything better to offer!!

[Lazamataz]

You are a troll

[vbmoneyspender]

I don't think the specific circumstance you are talking about is a big problem. But lets put the shoe on the other foot. Do you have any facts to show that someone who doesn't buy insurance and then gets a terminal illness costs so much as to justify a further expansion of government?

Beyond the issue of whether this is actually a problem, any solution you would propose to this 'problem' would have to involve the government. But in my experience, once the gov't got involved, the inevitable temptation for politicians would be to appeal as many voters as possible by forcing insurance companies to provide more coverage at lower rates. The end result would be worse healthcare at a higher cost. In other words, the cure would be worse than the disease.

In any event, I believe the circumstances you point to are not often encountered. People who have something to lose buy insurance so that if something bad happens to them, they won't be sued by a hospital for all of their money. That leaves people who have nothing to lose and I respectfully suggest that no amount of clever legislating can address insurance issues raised by people who have nothing to lose. What can help people like that though is a vibrant economy which provides them with good opportunities - which is why the economy is the absolutely most important problem today. Fix that and most of our current problems go away.

[Lazamataz]

So you support an individual mandate.

You are an antiamerican troll. You are a communist/fascist with delusions of liberty.

[Lazamataz]

Fascist ba****d. How dare you call yourself an American. WTF is wrong with you, that you support an individual mandate? GTFO of my country; North Korea would suit you well.

[MHGinTN]

Newt sets the record straight on the mandate lie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEmh3s32Gfw&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXSrVg6OKiU&feature=related

[ExTxMarine]

...this healthcare plan was something we learned about from the Heritage Foundation...

If I hear this one more time, I am going to shoot someone! The ONLY thing which the Heritage Foundation suggested was the insurance exchange system! A place for those who cannot get cost-effective individual healthcare plans to be able to get them through another "group" rate system, since THAT is how insurance companies offer their best/cheapest plans! As a matter of fact, Heritage also recommended LESS regulations and restrictions and NO minimum service requirements!

Everything else, ESPECIALLY THE INDIVIDUAL MANDATE, including Obama's claim that ObamaCare is a conservative idea is complete and utter BS!

Heritage suggested allowing people to "group" together to get group rates, instead of having their current options: work-provided, expensive individual plans or go without!

Heritage has stated that pay for your own care or take the mandate is a good conservative principle - I agree! What everyone ignores is the "pay for your own care" part; this is simply NOT an option with ObamaCare!

Using the liberals and MSM thought process, if I told you to go to Hell, and they then kidnapped, raped, ravaged and killed you - then it was my idea!

[ontap]

Yea! I'm a fascist bastard. I guess I was one when I was in the Marine Corp protecting your scrawny little ass. maggot!!

[Lazamataz]

If you like Individual Mandate, you are an antiAmerican puke neoFascist bastard. Lots of AntiAmerican puke fascist bastards have served in the armed forces. Lee Harvey Oswald, for example.

Your service in no way precludes you from being an antiAmerican puke neoFascist bastard. Why, just look at your embrace of a concept as unAmerican as forcing all Americans to buy a product or service!

[ontap]

I agree up to the point that this is not a problem. There are hundreds of thousands of people who make the decision to save their money and let the taxpayers pick up the tab. A lot of them aren't even citizens. I don't like the individual mandate but I can't think of anything else....I'm open to anything any one might suggest. Thanks for having the fortitude to discuss the issue. It's an issue that brings out the worst in some of the intellectually challenged flamethrowers.

[ontap]

I agree up to the point that this is not a problem. There are hundreds of thousands of people who make the decision to save their money and let the taxpayers pick up the tab. A lot of them aren't even citizens. I don't like the individual mandate but I can't think of anything else....I'm open to anything any one might suggest. Thanks for having the fortitude to discuss the issue. It's an issue that brings out the worst in some of the intellectually challenged flamethrowers.