here we go again...

[flowerseverywhere]

Oh, I don't disagree on that point. But let's be consistent in our beliefs. I must purchase an insurance policy that covers pregnancy, abortion services and STD's even though I had a vasectomy over 25 years ago, my wife is past child bearing age and we are faithful to each other. The government mandates it and I must do it simply because they say so. Are you in favor of eliminating all government mandates having to do with health care?

a very complicated question but there are two issues. One mandating health care and one mandating paying for health care.

If a smoker gets lung cancer I have no recourse but to chip in for their care, as well as drinkers and drug users, people who expose themselves to disease due to their sexual habits for example despite the fact I do none of these things. What about a crack addicted baby? Or someone who attempts suicide? Or who has a psychiatric illness and won't take meds (not uncommon in my experience) and cannot work.

I think what you are talking about has so many layers, many of which are tied to religious and moral beliefs about who has the right to live and have every treatment and test done for them regardless of their ability to pay.

As long as our system remains as it is I cannot disagree with the requirement that we all pay health insurance- we do now anyway indirectly.

In order not to require paying to insurance I think we have to switch to a "let them die" model.

If you have cancer that requires expensive treatment and did not make paying for insurance a priority or could not afford it then too bad so sad.
If you show up at the ER you better show your current insurance card to the guard or die on the sidewalk.
If a baby is born prematurely unless you have insurance no expensive treatment.

Get my meaning? I don't see how we can have it both ways.

for the question of the government requiring certain treatment right now if you are diagnosed with cancer if you are an adult of legal age you can walk out of the MD office, get your affairs in order and wait to die. You do not have to be treated for cancer. Physicians can say "at your age a colonoscopy/mammogram/ekg is appropriate" but you are not required to have it done if you don't want to, even if it is really the best thing for you and you have symptoms. No one makes you take your statin or blood pressure medication. You make a decision and you accept the consequences.

the government at any level requiring a sonogram crosses over that line in my opinion because the purpose is to shame and "educate" a stupid woman who doesn't know any better.

A physician may have a reason to require a test based on their medical expertise before they perform a procedure. If you are having surgery tomorrow and won't get bloodwork and a chest x-ray done, the surgeon may say sorry, it is not the standard of care and I won't operate. You are making a choice and the surgeon is making a choice.

I would love to be able to have a checklist for my health insurance and taxes about what I want to be paid for. But this is the real world and part of price I pay for living in the US.