Property damage to cars and injuries from traffic accidents are seemingly of greater concern than illnesses to people and the costs of paying for medical care.
At least, that’s the logic in Missouri after voters two weeks ago rejected one element of health-care reform — the first ballot-box test of the new law.
About 70 percent of voters opposed the federal mandate to require individuals to be insured with government help or to buy health insurance.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act requires all U.S. citizens and legal residents not otherwise covered by employers or a public program to insure themselves or pay a penalty. Exemptions from the requirement include those with religious objections to insurance, people whose household income is less than the income-tax filing limit ($18,700 for a couple), folks who aren’t insured for less than three months, or people who can’t purchase a basic insurance policy for less than 8 percent of their income.
Missouri drivers and owners must have some type of motor vehicle liability insurance coverage, as mandated by the state, according to the Missouri Department of Revenue.
“Each year thousands of Missouri citizens are involved in automobile accidents with drivers who have not maintained the required automobile insurance,” the department explains. “The result of this ranges from unpaid collision damage claims to higher insurance premium rates for all Missourians.”
Ah. But if someone falls ill or is injured and has no health insurance, Missouri voters apparently think it’s OK that medical bills and health providers aren’t paid, patients and hospitals alike lose a lot of money, and the resulting losses result in higher health insurance premiums for all.
Illinois also requires the state’s drivers to have car insurance — and carry proof of insurance. Here, the liability insurance must at least cover $20,000 for the injury or death of one person and $40,000 for the injury or death of more than one person; $20,000 for an uninsured motorist’s injury or death of one person and $40,000 for the injury or death of more than one uninsured person; plus $15,000 for damage to someone else’s property.
Why is that sensible but health insurance is not?
It’s not just Missourians throwing a selective tantrum. Besides votes on the individual mandate, lawsuits are challenging the constitutionality of the whole law. Twenty state attorneys general have joined a court challenge, and Virginia claims its state laws pre-empt federal law.
Besides politics, there’s the misleading or incomplete information running roughshod over reality. The law gives states choices and funding, for example. States can opt to enforce the law themselves and establish their own insurance exchanges, or let the federal government do it, an approach the U.S. Supreme Court has approved. Also, although health-care reform expands Medicaid, it provides for 100 percent funding by the federal government through 2017, dropping slightly to 90 percent by 2020. Further, the law eases costs to states that have to pay for care not now covered. Finally, states can leave the Medicaid program if they think it’s too costly.
The politics are clear, from the GOP piling on President Obama to its attempts to manipulate public opinion against Congress’ health-care reform supporters before November’s election. The law is also clear, according to Jost, writing in The American Prospect magazine.
“Assuming the courts follow precedent and the mandate is found constitutional, the courts must dismiss the Florida case,” he says. “The Virginia case falls as well. The Constitution’s supremacy clause precludes states from nullifying federal law. Under long-established and recently reaffirmed Supreme Court precedent, a state lacks standing to challenge the constitutionality of a federal law.”
Indeed, in a separate case about comparable issues, even conservative Justice Antonin Scalia said that Congress has the power to regulate economic activities within states — or non-economic activities.
Can’t we care for people at least as well as we do for cars?
Contact Bill Knight at bill.knight@hotmail.com.
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