_Medical care_ may be in the same category as roads, garbage collection, police department etc. (although one could argue otherwise: the latter are all examples

_Medical care_ may be in the same category as roads, garbage collection, police department etc. (although one could argue otherwise: the latter are all examples of public infrastructure, but medical care is in most cases a personal service). However, health insurance is in no way in the same category as any of the above - insurance is a financial tool, used as a means to achieve a desired end in a high-risk situation. Saying that insurance is absolutely essential is like saying that we can't live without zero-coupon municipal bonds. Sure we can, no matter how important the things they're intended to pay for are.