Reply #10: Exactly. If we have programs to help those who cannot pay for health insurance, then if they opt out

[lindisfarne]

they should be required to sign a document saying that if their ability to pay medical bills cannot first be verified, then they request no treatment. They should have to carry a document, renewed annually, stated what their "worth" is and if, in an emergency situation, the estimated cost of the care exceeded that cost, then they wouldn't get care.

Of course, this would never work because we would never deny emergency care.

I don't think there should be an opt-out option if there are programs to help those who cannot afford to pay. If someone fails to voluntarily pay, then there will be a fine on their taxes, equivalent to the cost of the public option, and this will automatically enroll them in the public option.