The New Jimmy Carter

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

This is not the entire cost driver nor is it large enough to cause the higher rates, come on think about it, even if you get system that is free from government, think of all the paperwork they will have also. You are trying to vilify the insurance industry and they are not to blame. I mean why do we need insurance???? BECAUSE THE Hospitals and Doctors charge way too much that is why!

Approximately 1/3 of a trillion dollars spent on administrative fees is not significant enough to raise costs to the consumer? Interesting...

do you really think that number would be smaller if the gov't took over healthcare?...6 is starts & stops w/ the medical industry being able to set the price whereever they want & gov't not doing anything about it.

As was pointed out - many other countries run quality healthcare systems at significantly lower overheads than the US does. Whether or not I think that's possible in the US is irrelevant - clearly it is possible for a government to do this.

All you're doing surely is giving the US government a pass on not doing its job properly.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

This is not the entire cost driver nor is it large enough to cause the higher rates, come on think about it, even if you get system that is free from government, think of all the paperwork they will have also. You are trying to vilify the insurance industry and they are not to blame. I mean why do we need insurance???? BECAUSE THE Hospitals and Doctors charge way too much that is why!

Approximately 1/3 of a trillion dollars spent on administrative fees is not significant enough to raise costs to the consumer? Interesting...

do you really think that number would be smaller if the gov't took over healthcare?...6 is starts & stops w/ the medical industry being able to set the price whereever they want & gov't not doing anything about it.

Actually, yes. The government run health care programs don't have nearly that kind of an overhead. I think it was a single digit percentage.

Edited June 8, 2008 by Mr. Big Dog

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

So the admin costs are higher in USA than Canada(US NORTH), it still does not account for the number 1, 2 and 3 cost drivers. The admin cost is simply not high enough to drive up your insurance rates!

So you said.

Prove it.

[zqt3344 21]

You still do not take into account what the other cost drivers of health insurance are, and admin costs are small compared to the others. Think about it.

This is not the entire cost driver nor is it large enough to cause the higher rates, come on think about it, even if you get system that is free from government, think of all the paperwork they will have also. You are trying to vilify the insurance industry and they are not to blame. I mean why do we need insurance???? BECAUSE THE Hospitals and Doctors charge way too much that is why!

Approximately 1/3 of a trillion dollars spent on administrative fees is not significant enough to raise costs to the consumer? Interesting...

do you really think that number would be smaller if the gov't took over healthcare?...6 is starts & stops w/ the medical industry being able to set the price whereever they want & gov't not doing anything about it.

As was pointed out - many other countries run quality healthcare systems at significantly lower overheads than the US does. Whether or not I think that's possible in the US is irrelevant - clearly it is possible for a government to do this.

All you're doing surely is giving the US government a pass on not doing its job properly.

[SMOKE 1,426]

In 1999, health administration costs totaled at least $294.3 billion in the United States,

or $1,059 per capita, as compared with $307 per capita in Canada. After exclusions, administration

accounted for 31.0 percent of health care expenditures in the United States

and 16.7 percent of health care expenditures in Canada. Canada’s national health insurance

program had overhead of 1.3 percent; the overhead among Canada’s private insurers

was higher than that in the United States (13.2 percent vs. 11.7 percent). Providers’

administrative costs were far lower in Canada.

excellent example of what the gov't could do. although i am not in favor of state run health care. there has to be a way for the US gov't to regulate the cost to the consumer w/o taking the choice of care provider away from the individual & w/o making us pay more taxes for them doing so. enough is enough

This is not the entire cost driver nor is it large enough to cause the higher rates, come on think about it, even if you get system that is free from government, think of all the paperwork they will have also. You are trying to vilify the insurance industry and they are not to blame. I mean why do we need insurance???? BECAUSE THE Hospitals and Doctors charge way too much that is why!

Approximately 1/3 of a trillion dollars spent on administrative fees is not significant enough to raise costs to the consumer? Interesting...

do you really think that number would be smaller if the gov't took over healthcare?...6 is starts & stops w/ the medical industry being able to set the price whereever they want & gov't not doing anything about it.

As was pointed out - many other countries run quality healthcare systems at significantly lower overheads than the US does. Whether or not I think that's possible in the US is irrelevant - clearly it is possible for a government to do this.

All you're doing surely is giving the US government a pass on not doing its job properly.

see above

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

You still do not take into account what the other cost drivers of health insurance are, and admin costs are small compared to the others. Think about it.

is all very nice. But I'm asking you to back up your argument with some concrete references.

[SMOKE 1,426]

This is not the entire cost driver nor is it large enough to cause the higher rates, come on think about it, even if you get system that is free from government, think of all the paperwork they will have also. You are trying to vilify the insurance industry and they are not to blame. I mean why do we need insurance???? BECAUSE THE Hospitals and Doctors charge way too much that is why!

Approximately 1/3 of a trillion dollars spent on administrative fees is not significant enough to raise costs to the consumer? Interesting...

do you really think that number would be smaller if the gov't took over healthcare?...6 is starts & stops w/ the medical industry being able to set the price whereever they want & gov't not doing anything about it.

Actually, yes. The government run health care programs don't have nearly that kind of an overhead. I think it was a single digit percentage.

those gov't programs also have payout limits to the providers & pharmacy........"they do something about it when they're paying for it." why can't they do something about it when we or the insurance companies pay for it?

[zqt3344 21]

SMOKE come on now you are asking too much of OVOMIT supporters here to actually think clearly and openly without OBEYING his spell that has been cast.

This is not the entire cost driver nor is it large enough to cause the higher rates, come on think about it, even if you get system that is free from government, think of all the paperwork they will have also. You are trying to vilify the insurance industry and they are not to blame. I mean why do we need insurance???? BECAUSE THE Hospitals and Doctors charge way too much that is why!

Approximately 1/3 of a trillion dollars spent on administrative fees is not significant enough to raise costs to the consumer? Interesting...

do you really think that number would be smaller if the gov't took over healthcare?...6 is starts & stops w/ the medical industry being able to set the price whereever they want & gov't not doing anything about it.

Actually, yes. The government run health care programs don't have nearly that kind of an overhead. I think it was a single digit percentage.

those gov't programs also have payout limits to the providers & pharmacy........"they do something about it when they're paying for it." why can't they do something about it when we or the insurance companies pay for it?