Should the government force the insurance industry to insure those it currently refuses to?

[Toots]

Since we are not willing to have the government support our citizens with health care as it supports business with incentives and subsidies should it at least make it mandatory for insurance companies to insure all comers at the same rates with no exceptions? I understand how that may impact their Profits, if they have to insure someone they know is sick and dying. That was the essence of the Clinton Health Care fiasco. Their plan was for government to force the insurance industry to insure at the same rates as they do their very largest customers like IBM for instance and not be able to refuse anyone. If some people could not afford the insurance the government would subsidise them. If we refuse to have Government take on all health care costs then this is probably next best but boy howdy did the Clintons catch hell over this.. Democrats had the Majority in Congress and IMO because they failed to provide health care which they had promised while campaigning they were thrown from office in huge numbers. IMO it would be a start anyway....

[johnp]

1. Yes, anything to bring down the insurance companies

I think that is a great idea forcing the insurance companies to cover people they would normally refuse, like people with cancer for instance. They are sure to cost the insurance company tens of thousands of dollars and that will ultimately bring down the insurance company and that would be great. A country without insurance companies would be awesome because we wouldn't have to worry anymore about them bribing politicians and trying to control our lives.

[BanzaiBonnie]

2. Get them to the point

that they are so small and weak we can drown them in a bathtub!

[sutz12]

3. If you want the government to really intrude...

pass legislation that would limit dividends to Wall Street and corporate salaries and perks. Force them to pay 90% of revenues back into care.

Better yet, just put them out of business.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

4. Of course not.

The way the government ought to ensure that everyone has access to healthcare is by paying for it itself, out of general taxation, not just what would in effect be a specific tax on health insurers.

[Bandit]

5. And since apparently that isn't going to happen in the near future

What is your next best suggestion? At least the poster is asking for something that could happen immediately and would effect over forty million Americans now, not some way distant down the road fantasy...Until the Republicans are completely discredited, which is happening, there will be no "socialized" health care....That word socialized is very terrifying to a lot of ignorant Americans..