I tell you: It just doesn't pay to be human anymore. Big or small.
I'm well aware of how being fat costs money. But there are now rumblings on the possibility of the following: If an individual, or family, can reasonably afford health insurance, but does not get it, they face the possibility of being fined: $950 for an individual, and up to $3,800 for a family. (These are the current numbers as of 9/9/09.)
Presumably the people that would opt out of health coverage would be healthy people, right? Those that take care of themselves and go to doctors for maintenance visits only? Either that, or people who are rich enough that they not only don't need health insurance, but can also pay out of pocket to get treated correctly, and immediately?
You're fined if you do, and you're fined if you don't. You pay to play the game, and you pay to not play the game. “Make your choice.”
Just in case this appears too lucrative for the insurance companies, with all of the extra business driven to them because consumers were made offers they couldn't refuse, they're not off the hook. As of now (9/9/09), there's a $6 billion tax that's in the works for them.
When you hear “health care reform,” think of stuff like this. Think about whether this is going to help things or hurt things, and for whom. Think about who's going to get soaked in the process.
Then, plan accordingly.
That’s one way to look at it.
Another way would be to imagine what would happen if that healthy person who opts out of health insurance suddenly ends up in an accident. Maybe someone runs a red light and side swipes their car. Their back is broken and they have major internal injuries. Who pays for their medical bills now? Or what if the breadwinner of the family is diagnosed with terminal cancer or some other expensive disease and they can no longer work? Who pays the medical bills now?
It’s not a fine– it’s the cost of being a member of society and the price of knowing that your neighbors provide a safety net for you in the case of a catastrophic event. The same net you provide for your neighbor by paying into the health insurance pool.