Insurance Mandates Draw Flak From Both Sides

By JANET ADAMY and GREG HITT
WSJ

WASHINGTON -- Proposals that would require Americans to buy health insurance -- central to legislation circulating in both houses of Congress -- are under fire from both ends of the political spectrum, with some liberals saying the penalties are too harsh for those who refuse and conservatives denouncing the whole concept.

Democratic leaders crafting health-care overhaul legislation aim to bring their measures to the floor of the Senate and House in the next several weeks.

The idea of an "individual mandate" to carry insurance is an integral part of Democratic efforts to expand health coverage to nearly every American. Any final legislation is likely to include some type of annual penalty for those who forgo health insurance and are deemed able to afford it.

Many Republicans charge that such an unprecedented requirement could violate the Constitution. Some Democrats are concerned it would penalize people for not buying something they simply couldn't afford.

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