America's New Prescription - The Five Keys to Health Reform's Success or Failure - TIME

I've tried to find as much information about the new health care reform law as I can. TIME has the best coverage that I've found. I think you'll agree. I love where they interviewed an MIT professor who said that the approach used was a "spaghetti approach". Throw everything against the wall and see what sticks. I don't know about you but that scares me. Was the system so horrible and broken to implement a 2000 page reform? I don't think I'm alone in being extremely concerned. As an insurance agent, I am glad to see that there will be changes in people being declined because of preexisting conditions. But I firmly believe that we as a society should be careful not to reward those who are irresponsible. The system already protected people who changed coverage if they had a group plan at work or changed to a new employer's group. But the system didn't protect those who were covered under a group at work; lost their job and couldn't get employed again within 18 months when COBRA ran out. And worst of all most people who I've met couldn't afford COBRA. But there are people who can afford to buy coverage and who have elected not to be covered. I think that's their right as an American. But with the new law, they'll have to buy coverage or get taxed by the IRS. Those who skipped out of the system, shouldn't get the same benefit of being able to get a new policy without some sort of penalty for their irresponsible behavior. Should they be allowed to skip on buying coverage and be able to buy it when they get sick. After all, isn't that why you buy insurance? NO. NO. NO. That's not the way insurance works. If everyone skipped on being insured and just bought coverage when you got sick, it wouldn't be insurance. That's welfare. You may not like the way insurance companies operate but as far as I can see, the insurance industry is the only part of this puzzle that keeps a check on expenses and that's good for all of us.

America's New Prescription - The Five Keys to Health Reform's Success or Failure - TIME