I need to know - who really, honestly believes that health insurance companies are the way to go?

Question

With the only incentive for them being profit, how could the government not do a better job when they have to answer to taxpayers (us) instead of answering to their stockholders and investors.

I know this question will most likely devolve into a Socialism debacle - but please try to answer the question. Also try to remember that the government runs the libraries, police, fire, and other social services - could you imagine a world where private companies ran those?

I am looking for someone who can give a substantial case for Insurance companies. and BTW thank you for reading this far and taking this question seriously!

Answer 1

I understand what you are saying. I got burnt by Lincoln National when they slid under the radar. My employer at the time was paying for it, but Lincoln slipped under the law.



I feel we already have socialized medicine. medicare, Medicaid, free clinics, free ER for those who will not pay. It is there. The system we have is really inefficient.



Yet, the government is a proven fool. What ever they did, they bastardized. FDR made socialist security a trust and it was bulging. the liberals changed it to the general fund and sucked all the money out... it is bankrupt now. The government can not do anything right with the people and social programs.



I do not understand the right way to go. I see both sides and because of the pain I felt, I would agree with he socialists on national single pay health care. But I am Conservative and believe in very limited government and know first hand this government has not the ability for this ObamaCare.



My gauge is this: since lawmakers have exempted themselves and their union friends, then it is a bad bill.

Answer 2

Well your question is not phrased correctly. You're asking about national health care and comparing it with police libraries and fire. The Federal Govt should not be involved in health care because they have tried it for 50 years and its worse than the private insurance. The Federal health care im talking about is Medicare (broken and almost bankrupt) Medicaid (broken and filled with theft and fraud, The Veterans Hospitals which any vet will tell you is the worse system in the country mostly. The Police fire and libraries are run by towns, cities, counties and states. If a state wants to run a health care system Im ok with that. However two sattes have tried, Massachussettes and California and they both failed miserably. Private insurers are the way to go. I have had it all my life and completely satisfied. There are some problems but its the best system in the world. LLets fix the few problems in private care and forget about the Federal Govt taking care of us. If you want to compare ssomething the Federal Govt runs, look at the 3 programs II llisted as well as the Post office, dept of labor, etc etc.

Answer 3

Insurance should be for catastrophic risk, and that is exactly the kind of risk insurance companies don't want to take.



They would rather make their money being middlemen -- running "insurance" programs for all the run to the doctor stuff and for pharmaceutical drugs. They also like to make money administering programs in which they take no risk at all -- for example, Medicare.



I think the government's involvement in health care reform should make it easier for people to buy catastrophic risk insurance, so that they do not go bankrupt or needlessly die if disaster strikes. It would be similar to having fire insurance on your house.



People should not be forced to buy insurance from private insurance companies to subsidize those who go to doctors all the time and don't use common sense. Doctors like to have people coming into their offices regularly for "maintenance" visits, but I think a lot of that is a waste and not very helpful to the health of the patient. Also, a lot of people waste other peoples' money just running to the doctor for the sniffles.

Answer 4

Im guessing you're talking about healthcare costs...



Health insurance companies don't control the cost of Healthcare. Supply and demand for healthcare controls the cost of healthcare. The only way to decrease the price of something is to decrease demand or increase supply. Econ 101ish but I haven't heard any talking head mention it yet.



people refer to the US healthcare system as a capitalist market system but its not really. while demand goes up year after year unobstructed the supply side of it is heavily regulated; JCAHO, the FDA, the AMA, the CDC, the DHHS, the NIH, the ARRT,...then you have each state with their own regulatory agencies...oh yea, i almost forget the lawyers.

anyways, everyone has their hand in the cup. granted if they didn't exist there would be snake oil salesmen on every corner, however these are still factors that people dont consider.



untill you can make med school not cost $200k, entice doctors to work for $30k/year and find someone to work around infectious diseases all day for $7.25/hour, and make people stop going to the ER for a hang nail. your healthcare costs will continue to climb. and your health insurance will go up as a result of it.

Answer 5

Exactly. People keep saying they give me choice but a choice between bad and worse is not appealing to me.



I don't care if I have a choice of 15 crappy plans I can barely afford and if I become sick won't accept me. I want a plan that covers my needs when I need it not just when they can make money from me.



It is not like things have been improving. What do they have to support that the current system works when ever year premiums go up, deductibles go up, co-pays go up...

Answer 6

Simply put, the government has NEVER run any programs efficiently. The government programs waste money like nobodies business! Why would any sane person expect anything else from this administration?

Answer 7

It's called Freedom, something you don't understand.



I know you are just a little kid, but use your head..........



WHY are the Insurance Companies and Drug Companies endorsing Obama Care????????



BECAUSE:



They have been "BOUGHT OFF" by the Obama Adminstration.



Use your head.

Answer 8

Is like saying that oil companies or Enron have the people's interest in mind when they are screwing you.



All this will end in a big I'll take your money now and call myself bankrupt in a few years and blame the government regulation for it before it becomes fully public...

Answer 9

Insurance companies are spending 1.6 million a day lobbying against healthcare reform. I guess some people think they are doing this becasue they care so deeply for their customers. Hmmm...maybe if they put that 1.6 mil into paying claims instead of lobbying...

Answer 10

You are correct. As long as for-profit corporations control every aspect of our insurance system (with the exception of Medicare and the VA-both government-run, single payer), this country will continue on an unsustainable path of fiscal and moral destruction. Over 18,000 people die each year due to their inability to obtain coverage. Millions are under-insured which is the main cause of personal bankruptcy, and millions more who are insured find their policies rescinded when they file medical claims.



http://www.prwatch.org/blog/35267

Answer 11

because I don't want 31 bureaucracies between me and my doctor deciding what kind of healthcare I can receive. Every single colored box on this graph will be a new bureaucracy.



http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_LcNIyXeBwgs/SmiPt7DjoEI/AAAAAAAABO0/L1ykLDCDAa4/s1600-h/health_plan_org_chart_jec.jpg

Answer 12

They are the way to go, just need a little reform and changes for more competetive pricing between insurers.

Letting them sell coverage across state lines would help ALOT.

Answer 13

health insurance co's pay lobbyists and media outlets to bend laws their way because they make huge profits from american's health.



healthcare is something you cannot refuse and have little time to do comparison shopping. they have all your choices corners, thats why the government needs to get involved.

Answer 14

Because,



I am a huge fan of choosing what I do. I don't really want to government telling me where to go thank you.

Answer 15

With health insurance companies you get a choice.



With the government you don't.



End of story.

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When you look in to HR 3200 you realize the point of this bill is to put the private healthcare industry out of business by placing vast monetary penalties and restrictions on physicians who opt out of the government system.



This would make private healthcare prohibitively expensive.

Answer 16

private health care is the way to go

i get what i want, when i want, where i want it because i payed to have it that way

Answer 17

I don't, because when it comes down to it, they don't care about anybody but themselves. They're only out there to make money, which is worse for everybody, even their workeers.

Answer 18

I do and believe that a better educated population would be able to make a wiser decision...

Answer 19

How old are you?