Without being argumentative, I would like to offer my opinion on a couple of salient issues that have been raised in this discussion.
It's true that by paying a fine or a 'tax', since that is what will likely allow this provision to pass constitutional muster, one may 'opt out' of 'ObamaCare'. However, the problem is that now, the government has become the sole legally-constituted authority on what kind of health care Americans are allowed to receive. By virtue of government bureaucracies 'regulating' formally private, independent insurance carriers, doctors, hospitals these bureaucracies (aka 'the government') become the arbiters that will determine both the level and frequency of your health care, stripping the patient and his/her doctor of the freedom of choice. I fail to see how this will improve health care for any of us and I find the provision in HR4872, now a law, that provides for the imposition of a fine/tax for not carrying what the IRS deems 'adequate' health care insurance an affront to individual liberty. In addition, there are many 'time bombs' embedded - too many to list, here - in this massive piece of legislation that will bring grief to many Americans, used to getting whatever health care they need, albeit, at a cost. That once-satisfactory state of affairs will end for many. Medicare recipients will suffer the most, as expected. According to the new law, The Health Choices Commissioner will choose your health care benefits for you. Actually, government bureaucrats will determine a host of medical issues for you, reducing the patient to little more than a supplicant. Once that MRI is denied you'll be out of luck and with no real option to appeal, especially if you're a 'senior citizen' not deemed to be 'contributing' to society. If this seems like hyperbole, just wait until the harsh reality of this new law begins to manifest itself. It won't take long. Frankly, I'm almost looking forward to being vindicated by events as that will mean that a lot of people will be rudely awakened to what the congress has wrought, and they won't be pleased. Unfortunately, I've followed this bill, now the law of the land, and I have some idea of whats coming...and it isn't very encouraging.
The issue of insurance companies reaping huge profits is a bit of a straw man. Insurance companies will become mere administrators for the government bureaucracy that will determine, by law, who they insure and how much they can charge, which will definitely reduce their profits. Insuring anyone who applies, whether they have just been diagnosed with a serious illness or been injured in an accident will skew the whole concept of shared risk and with the government demonizing insurance companies and now having the authority to set their prices for them, the reasonable method of charging people a premium based on their age, health status, occupation and other factors is out the window. Costs will definitely rise.
I don't wish to belabor my objection to this new law but I wanted to state my opinion. Having done so, I'll try to refrain from adding more and hope that others will want to participate in the discussion, which is germane to us all.
Jim
