FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
All Americans would be required to buy health insurance - as part of the proposal making its way out of the Senate Finance Committee. Those who don't could face steep fines - up to $3,8000 annually per family or $950 for an individual. People who can't afford their premiums wouldn't be fined.
This is all part of the plan that some see as the best hope for getting some kind of reform through Congress, but the problem is when committee Chairman Max Baucus introduced this thing yesterday, he didn't seem to have much support.
Republicans aren't backing it - saying the plan is still too expensive and intrusive.
And a lot of Democrats are unhappy with the proposal too... some are disappointed it doesn't include a public option, others say it doesn't go far enough to make health insurance affordable for the poor.
Democratic Senator Jay Rockefeller is concerned a tax on expensive insurance plans would wind up hurting middle-class workers - especially union members such as coal miners in his state.
And - even Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says Baucus' proposal isn't good enough for his home state of Nevada. Reid worries his state won't be able to increase Medicaid spending like the bill requires.
Meanwhile a new Gallup poll shows 60-percent of Americans say they don't think the president's health care plan will accomplish what he wants - covering all Americans without raising taxes or lowering the quality of care.
Here’s my question to you: Should people be forced to buy health insurance?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Dave from Brooklyn writes:
No one should be forced to buy anything they don’t want to buy. Having said that, I hasten to add that if you choose not to do something for your own good and you get hurt, don’t expect the rest of us to pay for your stupidity and bad luck. If you don’t wear your seat belt, don’t sue me for your injuries. If you don’t have health insurance, don’t go to the emergency room or do so with cash in hand – lots of it.
Julia writes:
Absolutely. As a nurse, I see many, many people who refuse to buy insurance and take care of themselves. They expect everybody else to care for them when they can't be bothered to care for themselves. Enough is enough; it is irresponsible not to have insurance.
William from Los Angeles writes:
No one should be made to do anything that pertains to their own health. The First Amendment gives us the right to be stupid and I have steadfastly held on to that freedom most of my life. Not wanting health insurance is stupid. Making it affordable for all is necessary.
Jeff writes:
There is no way to end restrictions on pre-existing conditions without also mandating coverage. Otherwise, people will simply wait until they are sick before buying coverage.
Jeff from Hawaii writes:
Jack, While forcing people to buy health care sounds like a good idea, without a public option to help drive down premiums, it's just a windfall for the insurance companies. A $950 fine is less than half of what I pay a year for insurance.
Diane writes:
You have a car, you buy car insurance! You have a body, you need to buy insurance! Would you pay for my car repairs? Of course not! So why do you accept paying for my body repair? You know what I mean. It is common sense. In fact, it is a conservative principle: individual responsibility.