A few more details have been circulated on Massachusetts’ plan to require everyone to obtain health insurance. From Insurance Journal:
Under the draft regulations, single adults living at the annual federal poverty level of about $9,800 would be required to make a monthly health care contribution of $10 or about 1 percent of their income. Couples would pay $20.
Single adults making up to three times the poverty level, or just under $30,000, would be required to pay $100 a month, or about 4.5 percent of their income, with couples paying $200, about 6.6 percent of their income.
If you’re making only $10k/year, isn’t an extra $10 to $20/month potentially an expense that would interfere with (for example) paying rent. And at $30k, $100 or $200 will still seem like a big chunk of change.
True, you should be receiving benefits in excess of what you’re paying out..but frankly, most of the folks I’ve been acquainted with who were in poverty or high debt situations are (rightly or wrongly) have seemed concerned with immediate expenses far more than long-term financial planning.