Democracy For America: Healthcare for All

[mawilson 2,133]

If the consumers of a service collectively decide they will pay less for that service, that isn't manipulation. That's the market at work.

It's not "the market at work" if the government steps in and tells doctors that:

1) they cannot opt out of Medicare/Medicaid/new socialist healthcare plan (or their license to practice medicine will be taken away)

2) they cannot charge patients more than the Medicare/Medicaid/new socialist healthcare plan-approved amount

[SuperDuper! 230]

Is this the infamous howard dean, as in, "I have a scream" speech? that guy is nutty!

[one...two...tree 2,762]

If the consumers of a service collectively decide they will pay less for that service, that isn't manipulation. That's the market at work.

It's not "the market at work" if the government steps in and tells doctors that:

1) they cannot opt out of Medicare/Medicaid/new socialist healthcare plan (or their license to practice medicine will be taken away)

2) they cannot charge patients more than the Medicare/Medicaid/new socialist healthcare plan-approved amount

How is it that privately held utilities are able to negotiate prices with the state and local governments? How would this be any different?

[HAL 9000 96]

I'm sure the consumer wouldn't mind paying less. Of course, doctors CAN continue making close to what they make now if they want to be left out of the idealized restructuring... and we can cut out the leeching insurance profit structure to compensate. Insure for health, not for profit. But that will get you accused of being a Red Communist by some idiots.

You say things like this you know it scares me. If this plan is relying on insurance industries and doctors becoming more charitable and working less for profit out of the goodness of their hearts then there is no doubt it will not work. Insurance companies right now are publicly traded entities that MUST record profit or they will die. What you are referring to is a wholesale change in policy, practice, mindset, and philosophy. If this is the case then Mr President is right, we aren't going to get there in just one term.

If only profit maximization wasn't the only reason for a business to be in business. Check out Muhammad Yunus and the social business practices being used in third world Bangladesh to get people out of poverty. Got him a Nobel Peace Prize.