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Dem Rep Says 'Mandate' Is Solution to Getting Young People to Buy Health Insurance

March 7, 2017

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D., Ill.) said on Tuesday that the solution to getting young people to buy health insurance is implementing a mandate so they would have to "pay a fine" if they don't buy a health care plan.

Fox News host Neil Cavuto said that Republicans and Democrats both seemed to have trouble getting young people to sign up for health care plans.

"I know Republicans are looking at giving them a $2,000 tax credit to incentivize them. I often think, Congresswoman, I don't know what you think, but even if you gave them a $10,000 credit, they'd just feel they are bullet proof," Cavuto said.

Schakowsky agreed with Cavuto that it was a challenge to get younger people to buy health insurance, and insisted that this is why there should be a "mandate."

"The mandate being demanding that you get health care or pay a penalty," Cavuto said.

"That's right or pay a fine for not getting it," Schakowksy said.

Cavuto noted that the Republicans don't have a mandate in their plan.

"No, they don't," Schakowsky said. "But I do think that you're not going to see too many sick young people that don't have health insurance, so it's going to be a challenge, but we have to take that up to make sure that young people do understand the importance of insurance."

Schakowsky then compared auto insurance to health insurance, saying that individuals must have these.

"Look, you have to get auto insurance. I don't care what age you are, and we think that it is important for people to get health care at any age," Schakowsky said.