Healthcare

Many people object to Obamacare in the latest quest to address the health insurance problem. The mandatory sign up is opposed by many, and my libertarian hackles got raised when I heard about it. But then I realized as a conservative one of my beliefs are personal responsibility. When you fail to get health insurance even if you can afford it and

require major care, and healthcare provider is mandated to help you with or without funds. The provider then shifts their costs on the rest of us to make up for the shortfall, thus increasing the cost of healthcare for the rest of us.
We already have mandatory insurance: Social Security (old an age and disability insurance), and Medicare. Both programs are very popular, and woe to any politician that calls it "socialism."

Some say that to improve access is increasing competition across state lines, and that sounds feasible at first glance. No matter how big the market, insurance companies will not compete for people with pre existing conditions and other ongoing illnesses which would cost the companies millions of dollars. Instead, they will seek out young, healthy prospects with high deductable  policies (like the old saying, if you need a loan, show the bank you don't need the money; in this case, show them you're healthy and you can get a policy. As private firms, their first priority is to make a profit and satisfy shareholders, and I am not making apologies for capitalism. However, insurance is based on risk, and when risk increases, so does the risk, which makes premiums unaffordable or insurance impossible.

What then shall we do? Medicare for all is projected to be in the trillions, and a nation teetering with crushing national debt cannot manage trillions more. Perhaps a national public corporation where people who cannot afford or access health insurance can enroll, and premiums, deductables and copays can be levied according to ability to pay.

In any event, this has gone on long enough. For better or worse, most civilized nations provide universal care for its citizens, and despite its faults, its citizens haven't turned yet to American style healthcare. We don't have private insurance to pay for police or fire protection, neither should it be more for healthcare.