The State of Virginia’s Senate is controlled by Democrats. Despite this, that body passed 3 bills yesterday that would make mandatory purchase of health insurance illegal in Virginia. The 3 bills all passed with identical votes 23-17.
That means that 5 Democrats joined all the Republicans in the state senate to pass the bills. The Democrats who voted for the bills were from swing areas of the state. One of the Democrats voting for the bills was Sen. Phillip P. Puckett who represents Russell County, a rural area.
Commenting on the vote Sen. Puckett said, "I don't believe someone should be forced to buy something they don't want to…It’s un-American. And it might be unconstitutional."
Attorney General says he would challenge federal mandate
Ken Cuccinelli, the Republican Attorney General of Virginia, thought that these bills could help Virginia challenge a federal mandate, if Congress passes a health care bill which includes a requirement that all American purchase health insurance.
The movement to stop Congress from mandating coverage for all and imposing other federal regulations has resulted in pending legislation in at least 29 states. States do not want to turn control of health insurance over to the federal government especially if the federal law requires the states to pay for certain provisions.
Some legal scholars believe the state bills are useless
Some legal scholars including some of the senators who voted against the bills say the bills are “not worth the paper they are written on.” According to Sen. Richard L. Saslaw (D-Fairfax) the bills would have little practical value since they could be preempted by federal law. Sen. Saslaw called the bills nothing more than “brochure bills” that could be used in political campaigns but have no intrinsic value.
Top priority for “tea party” movement
The 3 bills were a top priority for Virginia’s “tea party” movement. Jamie Radtke, Chairman of the Federation of Virginia Tea Party Patriots, called passage of the bills a “major victory.”
Massachusetts, which has near universal health care for its residents, does mandate that all individuals are required to purchase health insurance.
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Comments
If it's "unconstitutional and un-american" why are we required to buy auto insurance??
Is it not un-american to free-load on health care when an uninsured person becomes sick or has an accident ?
It is a shame politicians are working towards elections rather than solving problems
Auto Insurance Covers the other person you might hurt, Heath insurance covers you. if you dont want to buy auto insurance dont drive a car.
@People: Makes it kinda hard to solve problems if you get voted out of office before you have to chance to address them, eh?
Also, where do you go to get "free" health care? I've been health-uninsured for nearly seven years now. I've needed to see a doctor once ($50), and had to go to the emergency room once for a genuine life-threatening injury, not illness.
Had I carried insurance, the hospital would have billed them $3000 for putting 15 stitches in my leg. I paid them directly, in cash, and it only cost me $500. In fact, i was on the table, and I had to pay at least $100 up front on a credit card before the doc would come in. SO, where is the "free" care?
So I ask, and I really want to know, why do they charge the ins. co SIX TIMES what they charge an individual? Honestly, why?
Now, in the same 7 years, I would have spent a minimum of $12,600 on insurance (based on my latest quote of $1800/year)...where is the benefit?
Funny thing is, it cost $500 ($3000 with insurance) to put the stitches in, but it only cost $6, yes just SIX MEASLY DOLLARS, to have them removed.
Now, if I could have taken a govt. sponsored class in emergency medical/field expedient care, I could have given myself and removed my own stitches, fo' free!
And I would have.
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