I see quite a difference between requiring someone to have health insurance and a government run insurance program. I understand entropy12’s position as long as only PRIVATE health insurance is involved. Everyone on here is so concerned about being forced to pay for other people’s health care. That is EXACTLY what you are doing with ANY health insurance program. The healthy pay for the sick and if you are lucky enough not to get sick then you end up paying for everyone else. The other point he makes is that we are paying RIGHT NOW for everyone who goes to the E.R. because they don’t have health insurance. Who do you think is paying for that? The health insurance fairy? WE ARE, through taxes, higher hospital costs, etc. I would rather these people have to pay for their own health insurance so they go to a regular doctor then to go to the much more expensive E.R. and stick us taxpayers with the bill. Flame away, but don’t just call me liberal, etc. (I am FAR from it), but tell me why I am wrong, if you can.
The government has no power to force an illegal immigrant to buy insurance. This illegal will still go to the ER, and the ER will treat him just the same.
Lots of other people, not illegals, are getting government assistance. That assistance is less than the premiums that Obamacare is about to saddle us all with. These people will not be paying anything (they legally can't.) This means that not working (or working unofficially) just became even more profitable.
Lots of other people do not want insurance. Insurance is needed only when you cannot afford something. If you can, you are better off self-insuring. Majority of large businesses are self-insured, and anyone who is "sufficiently" wealthy can also do the same. Insurance companies are working for profit. You can become your own insurance company and keep the profit. If you have a $100K in liquid assets you may be already good to go this way. If you need more, chances are it's not treatable anyway, and you will do better if you just use the money in a more worthy way. There are also groups of people (some are church-based, other are not) that do the same within the group; this allows you to join with zero capital and invest as you go. In essence, that is a commune-based, not for profit insurance company.
And, of course, requiring anyone to buy a commercial product is completely insane from every point of view. Such a mandate is deeply offensive and has no place in a free society. A free man cannot be forced to pay just because he is alive.