Which of the following best explains how the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) might conflict with traditional U.S. values of individualism and personal responsibility?

• A. It allows individuals to opt out of health insurance without any penalties.
• B. It eliminates all private health insurance options, forcing everyone into a government plan.
• C. It provides no subsidies or assistance for low-income individuals to obtain health insurance.
• D. It mandates individuals to purchase health insurance, reducing personal choice in managing healthcare needs.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the key U.S. values involved—individualism and personal responsibility. Individualism emphasizes personal freedom and choice, while personal responsibility stresses that individuals should manage their own affairs without external compulsion.
2. Step 2: Identify the main feature of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) relevant to these values. The PPACA includes a mandate requiring individuals to purchase health insurance, which limits the freedom to opt out.
3. Step 3: Analyze how the insurance mandate affects individualism. Since individuals are required by law to buy insurance, their ability to choose whether or not to participate in the health insurance market is restricted, which conflicts with the value of personal freedom.
4. Step 4: Consider the impact on personal responsibility. The mandate shifts some responsibility from individuals making their own healthcare decisions to the government enforcing insurance purchase, which can be seen as reducing personal accountability.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the conflict arises because the PPACA's insurance mandate reduces personal choice and autonomy, which are central to traditional U.S. values of individualism and personal responsibility.