Obama doublespeak... Car insurance is required for all Americans.
By ParaTed2k
@ParaTed2k (22940)
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
September 10, 2009 12:00pm CST
Supporters of mandatory medical insurance laws like to cite car insurance laws to back their points. However, the analogy doesn't really work. Why? Because there are no laws requiring everyone to have car insurance.
Yes, there are laws requiring people who drive cars on public roads to have auto insurance, but that doesn't require it of everyone does it. If you don't participate in the activity, you aren't required to participate in the insurance.
On the other hand, Obama and other supporters of his "reform" want to fine everybody who chooses to not participate in medical insurance. It doesn't matter if you actually use medical services. It doesn't matter if you have never gone to a medical doctor in your life.
So please, if you support any kind of government run medical coverage, don't use this myth to back your position. It will just make you look silly.
2 people like this
11 responses
@bonbon664 (3466)
• Canada
10 Sep 09
To me a better analogy would be that a portion of your property tax goes to pay for public schools. It still does, whether or not you have kids. So, how come you can't elect to not pay for schools?
1 person likes this
@xfahctor (14118)
• Lancaster, New Hampshire
10 Sep 09
It was kind of a lame comparrison wasn't it. There IS no federal law requiring auto insurance, there CAN'T be because it would be blatently unconstitutional, not that that seems to matter the last several years. I live in the last state in the union to not require insurance for drivers over 18. It comes up every so often but is usualy defeated soundly. I imagine manditory health insuranc would not be recieved so well here either.
@iriscot (1289)
• United States
10 Sep 09
x, if you are driving in your car and the light is green and someone T-bones you because they ran a red light, your car is totaled and you end up in the hospital. Who pays the bills to fix the car and pays your hospital and doctor bills.
In my state it is mandatory for a person to carry liability insurance to cover the damage and pay the hospital and doctor bills.
Does that situation ever happen in your state, or are you kind of kidding all of us?
@xfahctor (14118)
• Lancaster, New Hampshire
10 Sep 09
Nope, I am quite serious, auto insurance is not manditory in the state of New Hampshire, neither are seat belts or motorcycle helmets. We're just that way.
It's a bit tricky. We have whats called an "implied liability" concept. In other words, if you choose to drive with out insurance, you assume liability in most accidents, unless the other party is shown to be blatently responsble for the accident. In a case of an accident where the responsable party is uninsured, the insured persons insurer pays for their insured and goes after the uninsured in court to recoup the cost. If the unisnured doesn't pay up, their license is suspended untill the financial obligation is met. If neither party in an accident have insurance, well, their both shytte out of luck, their fault, they shoulf have had insurance.
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
11 Sep 09
One thing about mylot..you can't say it isn't educational! There's no requirement in NH for automotive insurance?! Just out of curiosity,are there any comparative statistics available on the courts dealing with any such cases resulting from this relaxed and laid back State?
@miamilady (4910)
• United States
10 Sep 09
Although I may not entire agree with your position on this. That particular part of his speech did stand out for me and it did make me feel a bit concerned.
I did think to myself, that if I was looking for something that sounded socialist in nature, that would it.
I'm not against reform. I think it's a good idea. But I also realize that there are a LOT of details that we need to be aware of.
Personally, I think a big problem with the Bills that are passed, or that they try to pass are usually just way too big and include too many things all together.
How do we fix that?
@iriscot (1289)
• United States
10 Sep 09
I understand your concern miamilady, however some type of control was over the cost of insurance was supposed to be taken care of by insurance regulators in each state, but they have't done their job and insurance rates have gone sky high and will continue to do the same, if they don't have some kind of competition and that is one thing that the present administration is trying to provide.
Insurance companies, investment organizations, and banks were turned loose and ran wild due to de-regulation. So, today we are in a h@ll of a mess.
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
11 Sep 09
I'm all about health reform. I also don't agree with requiring everyone to carry health insurance or pay a fine. I don't have health insurance. I did but gave it up because I just could no longer afford it. I don't go to the doctors at all because I just can't afford it. I don't qualify for medicaid because I work and I make too much. If I were really sick...I'd just deal with it. If they fined me...I couldn't pay it. And if you don't pay the fines? what's the punishment?
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
11 Sep 09
The fines come under the control of the IRS, so if you don't pay the fine, it's a tax crime.
1 person likes this
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
12 Sep 09
That's freaking crap. They'll be after a whole lot of people then. I seriously can not afford health insurance. I barely cover my bills on my pay. There is absolutely no way. I understand why auto insurance is required or you get fined. Thats a whole different story. You pull out of your driveway and it don't matter how good of a driver you are...you could get into an accident. If you slide on snow into the next lane and cause an accident. It may not have been something you could have avoided but it will be considered your fault. Health insurance is different. I paid thru my work, 37.00 per week for years and used it only once on a quick visit for bronchitis and it did help pay for my meds. Still had to kick in 80.00. I NEVER go to the doctors. I don't owe any outstanding doctor bills. In a recession when people are losing their jobs, their homes and wondering where there next meal is coming from ...not a wise move to add another bill to their pile. Thanks Ted....you got me all stressed out here. 
@markodoom (243)
• United States
12 Sep 09
It's not an apples for apples comparison - correct. But you're being a pedant. The basic tenet is very clear to all of us and a simple way to understand the point. Let's say IF everybody including babies were REQUIRED to have auto insurance, this would be the equivalent concept. Picking on this point though is only distracting from the value of the idea.
@dhansens (5)
•
11 Sep 09
I've lived in two countries with a socialised health care system here in Europe. while I've been fit and healthy so far I've seen people around me less fortunate who would have been in very dire straits had it not been for the healthcare system! We have the choice to use the national scheme or go private where we pay for it ourselves and get a slightly better (?) service? But at the end of the day, the hospitals both private and social have the same facilities, the doctors work in both systems as it suits them meaning you get the exact same quality of care. So what's the big deal? There was uproar in britain when it was introduced after WW2 and if you took it away there would be uproar again! People just don't like change.
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
11 Sep 09
Why do you ignore the entire OP just to make a general point about universal care? This post isn't about the generalities of universal care, it is about the specific part of HR3200 that would impose a fine for not having medical insurance.
Please try to stay on topic.
@6precious102 (4043)
• United States
11 Sep 09
Auto coverage that you have to carry if you own a car is liability which pays for the other party's damages if you have an at fault accident. If you own your car outright, you get to decide whether or not you want to carry physical damage coverage that takes care of your own damages. But the point is, you get to decide whether or not you want to cover yourself. It irritates me that there are those in our government that are trying to force health care coverage on me when I don't want it.
@bestboy19 (5478)
• United States
10 Sep 09
My sister and I were talking about this health insurance coverage. If we are forced to have it, we think everyone who doesn't use it each year should have a deduction on our income tax in the amount of whatever is the average payout per citizen. That way, I, at least, won't feel so cheated.
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
10 Sep 09
I agree. I have also brought this up. If you own a car and you drive it on the road you have to have car insurance. But the people who do not use a car or drive do not have to have car insurance.So there is a choice there.
It is like telling the people of New York City they have to get and pay for car insurance even if they do not own a car or drive the streets. MOst use the subway.
There is no choice with Obama's mandatory healthcare plan. Or rather you can't choose to opt out.
To me it is wrong for one reason....it is telling people how to spend their hard earned money. You earned it right? It is sitting in your bank account right? Well then you should get to be the one who decides how it is spent.
We don't need the gov. to tell us we need to buy health insurance. We don't need the government to force us to buy it. We are adults.....stop treating us like children. I don't need the government to act as my "parents" and tell me how to live my life.
@katran (585)
• United States
10 Sep 09
It's actually the exact same thing in my mind. You are forced to buy car insurance if you ever drive, even though the vast majority of people probably NEVER make a claim on their insurance.
If you are alive, there is a possibility you will need medical care at some point, just like if you drive there is a possibility you will need car insurance. That is why it's called INSURANCE. And, frankly, if you get cancer and have a multimillion dollar hospital bill, I would rather that you were forced to have insurance so that your insurance company will be paying your bill and not me, thanks.
@clorissa123 (4926)
• United States
11 Sep 09
That is a truth, not everyone has medical insurance to back them up. It is not a mandatory thing to do, and not everyone can afford the medical insurance if they want to get it privately themselves. I think the health reform is a must right now.
