Health Insurance... A State Issue

It's likely, people choose to get health insurance. It's a choice. Now, you can say - but it's because some people can't afford it, but there are some people that can't afford it, and still manage to pay for it. There are others that can afford it, but prefer to spend it on other expenses. Most people's goal is for everyone to have insurance. However, what about the goal to ease the burden for people that are trying to set aside enough money to provide health insurance for their family?

From a statistical standpoint, I can not see living in California much healthier than living in New York. However, because of laws and mandates, New Yorkers pay more for health insurance. Massachusetts and New Jersey have even higher average rates. It doesn't matter if you live in the middle of the mountains or live in the middle of the city - It makes more difference what state border you are in.

The reasons for different prices in various states include mandates, laws, ect, - so I tend to think health insurance is more of a state issue than a national issue. Of course, there are advantages and disadvantages for each state. Some states don't require insurers to insure everyone, while other states do. Some states don't allow insurers to use age or prior conditions as a factor, while other states do. I think each state can learn from each other and have advantages but also keep the cost of health insurance affordable.