Blogs > Liberty and Power > Insurance Companies Want a Mandate with Teeth

Oct 12, 2009

Insurance Companies Want a Mandate with Teeth




The health-insurance lobbyist complains that under the proposed healthcare overhaul the penalties on individuals who don't buy coverage would be too mild and would encourage people to wait until they are sick before buying a policy -- at which point they couldn't be turned down or charged more than healthy people.

That's right. The industry wants the government to force us to buy its product and to impose harsh penalties on those who refuse. The companies, which oddly are demonized by the "reform" crowd, are happy to accept all kinds of coverage rules in return for captive customers and guaranteed income.

If I may be so presumptuous as to edit Adam Smith:
People of the same trade seldom meet together with government officials, even for merriment and diversion, but the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the public, or in some contrivance to raise prices.


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steve - 10/13/2009

You seem to suggest that the insurance industry is at fault here. But if they are obliged to take all comers at fixed prices, they are placed in an unfavorable position without a mandate - as are those who would insure anyway. Surely the real target of our attack should be the federal government and the laws it wishes to introduce?