The Mandate Trap

The New York Times reports on a series of regular health care policy meetings that have been taking place in the Senate between insurers, doctors, hospitals and business groups and staffers for Ted Kennedy. According to the article, there is an emerging consensus forming around the need for an individual mandate requiring that all Americans obtain health insurance.

An individual mandate is the most controversial and unpopular element of any universal health care proposal, and it makes it harder to argue that you aren't supporting government-run health care when you are having the federal government require that everybody purchase health insurance.

It can also be attacked as a giant handout to big insurers, since government is requiring that Americans purchase their product...

[Read the list of attendees again, and ask who's interests are being served.]

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