Bottom line: you purchase a car but not a basic auto insurance, then you get some serious bills in the event of an accident.
Unlike a car, human beings eventually need some type of medical treatment that is not available OTC. If more money is in the general coffer, then the financial burden is LESS on the society when grandpa keels over or grandma wraps the family car around that tree. Or if you have a slew of folk taken to an emergeny room after a natural disaster, and have of them have no insurance to speak of.
The ONLY people who would pay this "tax" are those who can but refuse to get health insurance. If you can't afford it, then the gov't will assist you.
Flunkies for the insurance lobby are wailing like stuck pigs, yet they are NOT the ones to be affected. It's being thrown around that from 1 to 3% of the population will actually be affected by this tax...which is adjusted to the individual tax return (affordable).
If the insurance companies raise their rates, it's NOT because of AHA. Gee, what about all that "free market will take care of everything" rap? Nothing is impeding "competitve" rates, and what the hell is the reason to raise your rates ahead of the COLA?
Sorry to inform you neocons and teabaggers ( and some libertarian lunkheads), but it's the gov't by,for and of the people....NOT the private corporation alone.