Howard Dean: Individual mandate in Obamacare wasn't necessary

Former Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean said Monday that the mandate in President Obama’s health care law stipulating that virtually all Americans must buy health insurance or pay a fine wasn’t necessary.

Mr. Dean said on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” that the number of younger, healthier people enrolling in Obamacare — who will theoretically broaden the risk pool of those in the insurance marketplace — “doesn’t really matter that much.”

“This is about the individual mandate,” he said. “The individual mandate was not necessary and it’s probably a big political thing, and that is going to hurt the Democrats because people don’t like to be told what to do by the government no matter what party they’re in.”

“But the truth is, that wasn’t necessary, and the insurance companies like it because it does bring young, healthy people who aren’t likely to get sick into the system,” he continued.

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