"A simple fee-for-service model in which providers openly advertise their prices, service, and reputation." Impossible if you need a surgery 99% of this people in this country would not be able to afford it no matter how many competitors there were. Health insurance is the only way people afford healthcare.
I don't think anyone expects a fee-for-service when it comes to major medical problems. We don't have a true insurance system. Health care is expensive because the losses are passed on to the ones who can afford it. If I have to goto the ER for something that needs immediate attention but its minor, i'm paying several hundred dollars no matter what. The true costs might be a fraction, but the remainder you are charges is to cover for losses. You shouldn't need insurance for a general check up, a throat scrape or many minor issues that doctors charge absorbent prices to cover losses. If we can get a system where doctors can charge patients their actual costs, prices would be vastly cheaper. We could then have insurance that only covers major medical incidents/procedures.
You have got to be the first person to call for "give me liberty AND give me death." I have generally found you to be well meaning but misguided. As it turns out, you are morally bereft. You can argue that the health care proposals on the table are unacceptable for a variety of reasons. That is a fair analysis. To argue that people that cannot afford to pay out of pocket should just die makes you wrong. So, oh wizard of conservatism, tell me...when these people (millions of them) just die, who takes care of their kids that are left behind? Or would you propose to let them just live on the streets to get by however they may be able? Good job trying to plunge our society into anarchy. I haven't even touched upon the tens of thousands you would put out of work by virtually eliminating 16% of the GDP. In short, you either have not really thought all this through or you aren't very smart.
If you are equating health insurance with socialism, then you really do not understand the industry...or any industry...or much of anything else. You are applying 18th century analysis to a 21st century problem. Oh...and if you think that eliminating health insurance would make all of this stuff more affordable, you are delusional.
If you think the currant public option will make health care more affordable, you're also just as delusional. Either socialize it or leave it alone.
So your position is that if it can't be radically improved it ought not to be improved at all? That makes a lot of sense.
All of the Atheist charities will take care of the children. Eliminating Medicare and Medicaid will really help along with tax break for health care. Nothing is more moral than driving down the costs of health care and helping others without government coercion. That's why liberals cant handle it.
