Not to belabor the issue, but the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, an excellent source of health policy analysis, has pubished a Health Affairs policy brief addressing the individual mandate. As you know, I’m not enthusiastically for a mandate under current “reform-lite” conditions. But long-term it will save us additional pain as private insurers would continue to use us as scapegoats for high costs if there wasn’t a mandate already.
Last time I made my case that having a health insurance mandate up front in the reform process actually gives you the upper hand in future debate. It can also accelerate real change by exposing market dysfunction as the real driver behind exorbitant costs. As in, “Hey, we’re all in the insurance pool now but costs keep rising. Do something about it, Congress.” But you don’t need to take my word for it. Maine has already been down that path. Follow along as we trace the state’s experience in avoiding a health insurance mandate.
Read More blogsurfer.us
