We've been trapped Inside a Bad Health Care System So Long,

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

The incentive for health insurance companies should be to provide the best quality service to their customers that they are able to, and by building on that reputation they will be successful. That is a fundamental principle behind Milton Friedman's free market vision - consumer choice. You can't have true competition without it.

A 'company' doesn't have behavior of its own. The people within the company do. When management sets up an incentive structure for the sales force that is a function of the value of policies sold and not the appropriateness of those policies, that's how the sales force will behave.

[NickD 203]

Key words in a health insurance plan are premiums, specified providers, deductibles, co-payments, preconditions, and exclusions.

Remove those categories from a health plan, and you won't have anything left to read. Can even wonder what you are getting for your money.

[justashooter 430]

As for your sample guy, he would have lived in any hospital in Western Europe or Canada but may not have had access to a hospital in the US - in which case the point that he would have lived there becomes mute.

my friend Al was gainfully employed into 6 figures, and one of my peers in a china gig. we had all the money in the world and great health insurance. he died because SOS services couldn't get him out of Luoyang fast enough, and the military hospital was reluctant to take him, although they had taken me on 2 occasions due to my local relationships.

Al was a sweet guy of about 58 years of age, long divorced and about to marry a lovely chinese woman who cared for him deeply. it was hard to watch him die.

RIP, buddy.

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

The incentive for health insurance companies should be to provide the best quality service to their customers that they are able to, and by building on that reputation they will be successful. That is a fundamental principle behind Milton Friedman's free market vision - consumer choice. You can't have true competition without it.

A 'company' doesn't have behavior of its own. The people within the company do. When management sets up an incentive structure for the sales force that is a function of the value of policies sold and not the appropriateness of those policies, that's how the sales force will behave.

Any meaningful reform needs to address the lack of consumer choice with regard to health insurance.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

The incentive for health insurance companies should be to provide the best quality service to their customers that they are able to, and by building on that reputation they will be successful. That is a fundamental principle behind Milton Friedman's free market vision - consumer choice. You can't have true competition without it.

A 'company' doesn't have behavior of its own. The people within the company do. When management sets up an incentive structure for the sales force that is a function of the value of policies sold and not the appropriateness of those policies, that's how the sales force will behave.

Any meaningful reform needs to address the lack of consumer choice with regard to health insurance.

Ok.

What that has to do with the post you replied to, I don't know.

But...

Ok.

[AlHayatZween 2]

If you're paying insurance premiums, you're paying for the care of others.

I often wonder how many people who are opposed to an evil government plan want to forgo Medicare when they're eligible and try their luck in the private insurance market.

AJ is right. Dang libruls.

Save America. Institute pay-go as the only acceptable way to pay for health and all other social services. And invade Iran, Ben Franklin would have wanted it.

[HAL 9000 96]

If you're paying insurance premiums, you're paying for the care of others.

I often wonder how many people who are opposed to an evil government plan want to forgo Medicare when they're eligible and try their luck in the private insurance market.

So it boils down to pay high premiums to a private insurer to cover all insured under that insurer's umbrella or not pay them (and pay less) to a public insurer to cover all insured under that insurer's umbrella. Hmmm...

Nope. I'll take the private one so I can feel good about it.

Reminds me of some of those 'black' credit cards that charge $500/year membership fees for the same BS you receive from the regular cards.

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

The incentive for health insurance companies should be to provide the best quality service to their customers that they are able to, and by building on that reputation they will be successful. That is a fundamental principle behind Milton Friedman's free market vision - consumer choice. You can't have true competition without it.

A 'company' doesn't have behavior of its own. The people within the company do. When management sets up an incentive structure for the sales force that is a function of the value of policies sold and not the appropriateness of those policies, that's how the sales force will behave.

Any meaningful reform needs to address the lack of consumer choice with regard to health insurance.

Ok.

What that has to do with the post you replied to, I don't know.

But...

Ok.

The incentive priority would change among insurance companies. Real consumer choice driven health insurance is one big equation missing for the most part. It is also part of the Republican argument against a public option. If they are sincere about wanting consumer choice, then they need to put their money where their mouth is.

[HAL 9000 96]

The incentive for health insurance companies should be to provide the best quality service to their customers that they are able to, and by building on that reputation they will be successful. That is a fundamental principle behind Milton Friedman's free market vision - consumer choice. You can't have true competition without it.

A 'company' doesn't have behavior of its own. The people within the company do. When management sets up an incentive structure for the sales force that is a function of the value of policies sold and not the appropriateness of those policies, that's how the sales force will behave.

Any meaningful reform needs to address the lack of consumer choice with regard to health insurance.

Ok.

What that has to do with the post you replied to, I don't know.

But...

Ok.

The incentive priority would change among insurance companies. Real consumer choice driven health insurance is one big equation missing for the most part. It is also part of the Republican argument against a public option. If they are sincere about wanting consumer choice, then they need to put their money where their mouth is.

But it would put the private insurers out of business! Can't you see that people need to pay higher premiums in order to receive top-notch denials, top-notch benefits that leave un-Socialist deductibles, and remaining balances? Its all about avoiding the great purge of humanity: Socialism.

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

But it would put the private insurers out of business! Can't you see that people need to pay higher premiums in order to receive top-notch denials, top-notch benefits that leave un-Socialist deductibles, and remaining balances? Its all about avoiding the great purge of humanity: Socialism.

The question we need to be asking is whether private insurance can provide top quality service while being profitable? If every individual would be able to actually choose the insurance company like we currently can do for car insurance, I think that would go a long way in reforming the industry. It's obviously not the only solution, but should be a crucial part of meaningful reform.

[HAL 9000 96]

But it would put the private insurers out of business! Can't you see that people need to pay higher premiums in order to receive top-notch denials, top-notch benefits that leave un-Socialist deductibles, and remaining balances? Its all about avoiding the great purge of humanity: Socialism.

The question we need to be asking is whether private insurance can provide top quality service while being profitable? If every individual would be able to actually choose the insurance company like we currently can do for car insurance, I think that would go a long way in reforming the industry. It's obviously not the only solution, but should be a crucial part of meaningful reform.

Its not profitable because Socialist liberals want to reduce quality for all citizens while they themselves enjoy top-rated medical care on tax-payer dime.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

We're in company of nations that one wouldn't necessarily have reason to be proud of.

[justashooter 430]

that's a hellin' funny map colored in by someone who thinks china has "some kind of universal health care". most people in china have none, baby.

those that get health care pay for it up front. every time a doctor prescribes a medication, including an injection he orders a nurse to give, some family member has to run down 6 flights of stairs to the pharmacy to pay for it, pick it up, carry it back up the stairs, and hand it to the nurse. they will not give you a room with a bed until you pay, and will throw you out on the street if you cannot, bleeding stump and all. they will not make any surgery or adjustment until the money is in their hands. seen it with my own eyes, from shanghai to shinola.

[AlHayatZween 2]

We're in company of nations that one wouldn't necessarily have reason to be proud of.

Are you saying Central African Republic is not a nice place to live?