Manion LTE on Mandated Insurance

The August 11, 2008 Denver Post printed the following good LTE criticizing mandatory health insurance:

More government mandates for health care?

When part of a building is on fire, panic has been known to drive a crowd directly into the fire.

Such is Froma Harrop's call for even more government interference in the health care industry.

She likes the insurance mandate in Mitt Romney's Massachusetts health plan:

"Everyone must get coverage. Those who don't, pay a penalty. The uninsured holdouts tend to be young, male and in good to excellent health. They figure that if something goes wrong, they can report to the emergency room where they'll get free care. Such people are called 'free riders.'"

The problem is real, but what is the cause? Why do people get free emergency room care? It's because of existing government mandates!

So we are to solve the problems caused by one government mandate with another government mandate? Where will it all end?

We are fast approaching the point where every aspect of life will be either mandatory or prohibited.

Clarence Manion, Lyons

For more information on why mandatory insurance has failed in Massachusetts, the home state of Mitt Romney, see our collection of links here.