Health care: A universal need with a universal answer
The Register stands on the correct side of health-care reform in its March 5 editorial dismissing individual mandates and continuing to embrace national single-payer health insurance ("Mandating Private Health Insurance is Misguided"). Growing numbers of Iowans and Americans get it. A recent CBS/New York Times poll found 64 percent agreed government should guarantee insurance to all and 60 percent said they were willing to pay more taxes if necessary.
But what to make of the related March 5 op-ed in which state Sen. Jack Hatch cheerleads for Mitt Romney's mandated health-care hoax ("Should Iowa Require All Residents To Have Health Insurance? It's Like Mandating Auto Insurance")?
To avoid penalizing workers, small employers and further fragmenting the insurance pool, any mandate would necessitate massive public subsidy and oversight, a health-insurance boondoggle.
