Reply #157: Oh, I see what your missing!

[grahamhgreen]

1) Those being penalized are not getting a free ride - they DO NOT get medical coverage for this penalty!

2) When you go to an ER, they will treat you, but THEY WILL ALSO SEND YOU A BILL! So you are not getting ER TREATMENT, EITHER. (unless you are indigent, but that's not who will be penalized).

In the end, you are penalizing people for being alive and not paying a penalty.

The other thing to look at is why are we trying to pass a health care bill?


Is it for the people or for the companies that are ripping off the patients and the doctors and the hospitals already?

We are not trying to protect the Insurance companies from the people, who are already using their money to deny people coverage and buy gold plated china for their corporate jets while directing 16% of the economy through their pockets - we are doing the exact opposite, trying to return the funds wasted in these corporations to provide health-care to the people!

Now, if you wanted to apply these penalties for another tier of treatment - say ER treatment - I might be able to reach agreement, although I think it would be better just to apply it to their basic health care so that we can all be protected, not only from accidents and disease, but also from the HC insurers who would rather post a higher profit than give cancer treatment to a child who needs it.