Back from the dead on health care

I've haven't been blogging for the past few days, first because all the family was here visiting over the Thanksgiving Day weekend and then because I was laid up with various health problems. Hopefully I'm up to at least a little light blogging for awhile. All of which brings up the health care crisis. Paul Krugman blasts Obama in his column today, complaining that Obama's plan has no mandates to force everyone to sign up, but requires insurance companies to cover anyone and everyone at the same rate. Hence, the optimal plan for individuals is to remain uninsured until they get sick and then sign up for insurance to cover the illness. Then, if they get well, drop the plan. Krugman praises Edwards, who proposes enforcing the mandate by requiring tax filers to show proof of insurance. If uninsured, he proposes the IRS enroll all tax filers who can't show proof of insurance.

Kevin Drum doesn't like Edwards' plan -- apparently because Kevin doesn't like the IRS. Frankly, I don't suppose I much care which arm of big-daddy government forces me to sign up.

But, really, what's the big deal here? Everyone over 65 is automatically signed up for Medicare. No big deal, no hassle. The government just signs you up as soon as you turn 65. Why not just do the same thing for everyone?