Let the for-profit, free-market model work for industry (but not health care)
Capitalism, the free market economy has brought jobs and prosperity to America in the past and will in the future. Smaller efficient government, adequately regulating business to prevent excesses will put us on a track to a healthy economy But in healthcare, the private free market business model works terribly and is proven by the fact that private, for-profit insurers have failed to insure all 325 million Americans. Because paying for sickness is expensive, it decreases the profits and income of the insurers, the exact opposite of how a for profit business model should work; income goes out when paying for doctor and hospital bills, totally illogical for a for- profit business. Hence, the only model that has and can work successfully for healthcare insurance is the non-profit model.
Medicare, for our seniors is the prime example of such a successful model. It is efficient, popular, the highest quality and one government program that has worked well, unlike many other government programs. But it’s too expensive because it insures the sickest of people, seniors over 65. It needs a larger pool of healthier people paying premiums to spread the risk. This can be accomplished by expanding Medicare to the 280 million healthier Americans under 65. This brings premiums to the consumer down dramatically, a fraction of the premiums we pay today to the private insurers. Conservative economists have proven these costs to be attainable and without increasing the deficit. One such proposal, HR 676, in congress,Improved Medicare for All, includes added benefits such as dental, drugs, and long term care, no deductibles and no increased taxes to the middle class. There are no insurers between you and the doctor. It is not socialism because doctors are not employees and hospitals are not owned by the government; Capitalism no less and at its best!Government merely finances but does not provide healthcare. Medicare is one government program that is very successful and popular with seniors and has been for over 44 years. Ask your parents or grandparents and every one else who can’t wait to get on Medicare for themselves and get out from under the yoke of the private insurance companies.
Let the for-profit, free market model work for industry and bring America prosperity and jobs but let healthcare work where it works best, with a non-profit model, Medicare for All. Let your congressperson and senator know how you feel-they’ll listen carefully especially before the 2010 election coming up. Get him or her at 1-866-338-1015 (free)
Robert Recht
Creve Coeur
Robert,
You make very good points. Isn’t it ironic that the group most opposed to healthcare reform are the senior citizens who have their own version of a public option in Medicare? How many others who are all cozy and snug in their taxpayer-funded, guaranteed healthcare (Tricare, VA, government employees) are also opposed to healthcare reform?
If we can’t have real healthcare reform that gives everyone the option to avoid the evil private insurance companies, then *everyone* in the country should be forced to see how it feels to grovel at the feet of those companies.
“Sir, may I have some insurance please?”
Dear Old Geezer,
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha. You’re kidding right? Insurance at your age?
Rejected.
Sincerely, BestHealthGroup
Dear Police Detective,
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha. You’re kidding right? Insurance with your history of an enlarged prostate?
Rejected.
Sincerely, BestHealthGroup
Dear Fire Marshall,
We are unable to approve your colon cancer surgery due to your failure to include your sprained ankle from 10 years ago on your application. We will be happy to keep your premiums.
Canceled.
Sincerely, BestHealthGroup
Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125719816691823721.html
November 3, 2009
Republicans are preparing to unveil their own health bill in the next few days. Minority Leader John Boehner (R., Ohio) said Monday that the plan wouldn’t seek to prevent health-insurance companies from denying sick people insurance.
Robert,
Define middle class, please. Here are some snippets from HR676. And the left says the right won’t compromise??
IN GENERAL.—All individuals residing in the
United States (including any territory of the United
States) are covered under the USNHI Program
(A) Existing sources of Federal government revenues for health care.
1 (B) Increasing personal income taxes on
2 the top 5 percent income earners.
3 (C) Instituting a modest and progressive
4 excise tax on payroll and self-employment income.
6 (D) Instituting a small tax on stock and
7 bond transactions.
http://www.pnhp.org/nhibill/nhi_bill_final.pdf
budb,
If you replace the premiums, deductibles, copayments and coinsurance with a small excise tax on payroll, the vast majority (if not all) of the middle class will save money. We currently pay $17,000 per year in premiums, plus deductibles and copayments. We would save a *lot* of money under HR676.
From your link…
17 (c) NO COST-SHARING.—No deductibles, copay
18 ments, coinsurance, or other cost-sharing shall be imposed
19 with respect to covered benefits.
budb,
Although HR676 doesn’t define a “small excise tax on payroll,” PNHP proposes a payroll tax on individuals of 2%.
$50,000 * .02 = $1,000
It would be quite the rare bird who pays less than $1,000 a year in premiums, deductibles and copayments.
How exactly is this capitalism at it’s best? It is the very definition of socialism. Your definition of the business model is nonsensical. Insurance uses actuarial tables to gauge risk,sets a rate based on that and hopes to make a profit on the difference. We now know the wild claims from the left of 30% profit margins were outright lies. Profits in the 2% to 6% range are the actual average. You claim Medicare is a prime example of a successful model,but you leave out the $39 trillion in unfunded liabilities. Do you not see how many doctors now refuse new Medicare/Medicaid patients because neither plan pays the actual cost of care? Do you propose forcing doctors to accept this? I don’t hear anyone say we don’t need reform,but expecting our government to do it better defies common sense and historical record.
Lisa,
“How many others who are all cozy and snug in their taxpayer-funded, guaranteed healthcare (Tricare VA,,,,,”
— Lisa12
10:50 pm November 2nd, 2009
Unfortunately, when you continue to post crap like that it’s hard to take you as serious. Ask the Marine in the war zone how cozy and snug he is. Ask the Sailor stuck on a 450 ft frigate for 7-10 months at a time how cozy and snug he is.
budb,
Ask “Joe Taxpayer” how cozy and snug he feels as he dies a painful death from untreated cancer. If the Marine and the Sailor think it is perfectly cool for Joe Taxpayer to be denied any way of getting health insurance, effectively sentencing “Joe” to death if he gets sick, then they might as well shoot him between the eyes with their AR-15.
msk440: Insurance uses actuarial tables to gauge risk,sets a rate based on that and hopes to make a profit on the difference.
They also refuse to insure sick people, cancel policies of people who get sick, and deny treatments, in order to increase their profits.
We now know the wild claims from the left of 30% profit margins were outright lies.
No one on the left said any such thing. Insurance companies have overhead up to 30%, which includes profit and administrative expenses.
Do you not see how many doctors now refuse new Medicare/Medicaid patients because neither plan pays the actual cost of care? Do you propose forcing doctors to accept this?
The current bills in the House and the Senate include a public option with reimbursement rates that are the same as private insurance company reimbursement rates. Doctors are not forced to take anyone who has the public option.
I agree that Medicare and Medicaid should pay higher rates to doctors. Will you agree to pay higher taxes to allow that to happen?
Lisa,
First of all sailors and marines are “joe tax payers”. I also have never met a soldier, airman, sailor, or marine that snubbed their noses at their fellow tax payers and thought it would be cool to watch them die from lack of health care; to use your words. If you want Tricare so bad, join the military. On another note, lighten up Francis! It looks like some sort of PO will get through, though it’s unclear who will be eligible for it.
Another article on the wonderful merits of the headed-for-broke Medicare and half the responding posts coming from our resident beggar…..