Originally Posted by
Hermod
Auto liability/property damage insurance is mandatory. Comprehensive and collision is optional [[unless you have a loan or are leasing the car). You can go bare or have a high deductible and save money.
Homeowner insurance is optional unless you have a mortgage. You can go bare or have a high deductible to save money.
Health "insurance" is a special case. For the young and healthy, it is insurance against an accident or sudden expensive illness. For the old, unhealthy, or both old and unhealthy, it isn't insurance, just someone to pay the bills so that you don't have to. It is health care and not health insurance. The philosophical question then becomes is it the duty of the government/community to provide healthcare?
Being on Medicare now, my views have changed. I used to be against socialized medicine [[having seen how military medical care was run and the VA still is). I guess I would support Medicare for all to take care of catastrophic illness. I would support using a Value Added Tax [[VAT) to pay for it like most other national systems use. That way, everyone could see the cost and political decisions could be made on the basis of:
Basic Medicare Part A = a% VAT
Government paid Part B = a+b% VAT
Government coverage of Medicare copay and deductible = a+b+c% VAT
Government coverage of prescription drugs = a+b+c+d% VAT
Government coverage of dental = a+b+c+d+e% VAT
Everything is fee for service with no "managed care". We do not need HMOs or 1993 Hillarycare.