Thursday, January 31, 2008

Policy briefing: requiring individual health insurance

The health care problem is not only an ethical issue (many people, myself included, believe that Americans should not go without needed health care because they're poor) but also, increasingly, a major factor in the overall economic picture. (This isn't a new problem--check out the news on GM, for example--but one that is becoming ever more pressing for a variety of reasons.)

You've likely heard about plans -- some in place (as in Massachusetts), some proposed (like the one just rejected this week in California) -- to require that individuals purchase health insurance. It being an election year, we're likely to start hearing more, soon, about the candidates' plans for fixing the health care "system." Such individual-mandate approaches may be part of that picture.

Just in time, here's a chance to learn more: you can tune in to a live webcast today at 1:30 ET, sponsored by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. It should be an informative session, featuring a panel of well-known experts in health policy and finance.

If you can't tune in today (sorry for the short notice!), the archived webcast will be available online afterward.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

The Blue Ribbon Commission for Health Care Reform, plans to introduce their plan today for 'mandatory' health insurance in colorado.

I do not think this is the right direction for healthcare reform. 1/2 the people that can't afford health insurance, qualify for health insurance through the state, but haven't signed up.

The solution; The state should automatically enroll people that qualify for other programs, (welfare, children that qualify for free school lunches, ect).

Then take steps to make health insurance more affordable for the rest of people, and educate people that you can get cheaper healthcare with higher deductibles, and pay out-of-pocket for check-ups, ect.