Sen Max Baucus of Montana, Chair of the US Senate Finance Committee, is calling for mandatory health insurance for all Americans. He proposes interim low cost insurance plans for small business and individuals to bridge the gap, and increasing the number of low income families eligible for Medicaid.
Certainly not a finished product, but a start of the discussion. One thing that throws me is the idea of using "the tax mechanism" to enforce a mandate. In other words, are you talking about seizing someone's tax refund, or taking a portion of their wages if they fail to comply? That would be a rather bold and aggressive move by government, and very interesting to see in practice, particularly when applied to the self employed. I think a few of us are already familiar with the practice of the "cash discount" for services.