It's not your decision: Mandated coverage

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - Health care legislation expected to head to the president in the coming weeks mandates coverage for all Americans.

"What we're talking about here is this social responsibility and reality," Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) said. "We know that if a person gets sick, no hospital is going to turn them away. They're going to get that care, and the rest of us will pay for it."

"It's not appropriate for people to basically get care and force the cost of that care onto all your viewers who currently have insurance," Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) said.

The Senate and House bills will force coverage, through an employer, a private insurer or a public option.

"This insurance is very expensive, even with a so-called public option," Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN) said. "My premiums might be $1,000 or $2,000 dollars, so I'm not going to buy that. Well you've got a fine then."

The fine is a 2.5 percent tax on pay, taken from your paycheck.

"It won't be any different than the social security tax, the FICA taxes they're paying now," Rep. Brad Ellsworth (D-IN) said.

Jail time is a possibility if folks don't pay the tax.

"If the dollar amounts are high enough and they are convicted of tax evasion," Ellsworth said. "But that's not the intent of this bill is to to make sure that, to put people in jail for that."

Turning folks into criminals may not be the intent, but lawmakers say it is possible.

"I just cannot believe the criminalization of this," Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL) said. "And making this a federal crime, punishable by jail time in our bill, is wrong. Another reason to vote against the bill."

Leaving decisions about not only your health, but criminal charges, out of your hands.