If you can’t afford to have health care, we are going make you pay fines, which you may not be able to afford either.

That is essentially what a ludicrous piece of legislation under consideration by the U.S. Senate says.

In the push to overhaul the nation’s health care system — something that does need major changes — lawmakers seem to have thrown common sense out the window and forgotten that any changes should be about two things: Improving medical care and its availability.

Instead these legislators seem to be focused on the dollars and cents instead of sense. We feel this is purely about trying to raise money through what amounts to a back-door tax.

According to Associated Press reports, “people would be required to carry health insurance just like motorists must get auto coverage now. The government would provide subsidies for the poor and many middle-class families, but those who still refuse to sign up would face fines of more than $1,000.”

The intentions of the bill — to provide coverage to the nearly 50 million Americans who lack coverage and also reduce medical costs overall — are positive and could improve quality of life across the country.

The problem is the plan has too many holes and simply isn’t fair.

Why should someone who opts not to have health care for any number of reasons be asked to subsidize others?

Though the exact cost hasn’t been released, sources have said it could be around $5,000 a year for individuals and $12,000 for families.

That may sound like a bargain for some but many others simply won’t have the money to participate and may or may not get government aid to do so.

To slap a fine on them just doesn’t add up.

Health care reform is going to be a tough problem to solve but, right now, we need to hear better solutions.