Will health insurance be mandatory?

Let's look at it this way, when the health care bill is fully implemented, it will be cheaper to have insurance than to do without. You can either get covered through the individual market, through an employer or through a government program.

You can still opt not to get covered, but you should be ready to pay the fines. The fines will increase every year. By 2014, the penalties will start. You will be charged with $95 for the first two years, then $695 by the year 2016.

However, if you are employed, you don't need to worry, because the same bill will ensure that employers also offer their employers insurance. If your company is too small to afford paying for insurance, they will be given tax breaks to help them pay for it.

Those who are self-employed or who buy through the individual market need not worry as well because each state will establish health insurance exchanges that will make it more cost-effective and easier for them to buy insurance. 

The good news is that insurance companies need to justify any premium increases and show that non-medical expenses only form not more than 25% of the premiums. Insurance companies can't also refuse to provide you with insurance just because you got sick, nor can they charge you with premiums based on your health condition.

The goal of the healthcare reform bill is to ensure that every American and resident is covered. The bill makes every person responsible for getting the coverage he needs.

You see, it is also important that as much people are covered to help widen the insurance playing field and thus ensure that premiums are at its most affordable. When there are a lot of people that are uninsured, the cost of providing for medical treatments for these will invariably end up in the bill of people who do have insurance. When hospitals provide treatment for the uninsured and don't get payments for these, they will end up increasing the cost of their services, which will in turn be passed on to the insurance. The insurance, in turn, will charge higher premiums from their customers.

This is the rationale behind requiring that as much people be covered with health insurance.

• What is considered a preexisting condition?
• Does private health insurance provide better care?
• Why an employee might select a PPO health insurance benefit over an HMO?
• Can I have a health savings account and regular medical insurance?v
• What happens to your medical insurance if you lose your job?