LOL still didn't address the content of what I said and we all know why.... Isn't that what they said Obamacare would do? Oh wait, now they aren't lying right?
I gotta go against the liberal tide on this one. I don't think single payer is a good idea for two reasons: (1 and foremost) it removes the effect of competitive forces to put downward pressure on price. Even with overwhelming negotiating leverage, the government cannot do a good job at innovation and efficiency. You want to have for-profit companies competing to offer the best value. (2) Using insurance companies puts the financial risk on shareholders. Using single payer puts the risk on the tax-payer. We want as much as possible for the shareholder to carry the risk. I'm still a fan of Obamacare's approach of making a regulated capitalist marketplace for insurance companies to operate in. Single payer turns health insurance into a sort of utility. Conservatives are right on this -- competitive markets drive efficient solutions. So, you want to use them. It can work if you can build the framework right.
Reagan-Bush years: nothing Clinton years: Hillarycare (a bloated managed care disaster co-written by insurance companies) Chafee-Dole plan (a lot like Obamacare/employer mandate but with less teeth - and a small MSA bit, scuttled by other Republicans -Phil Gramm, King of MSA's - and ignored for a decade +) Bush years: nothing Obama years: Obamacare (similar to Chafee plan but originally with a public option and the employer mandate included cost covering, no MSA's) So basically in 40 + years we have been offered two big Democrat plans that were weak managed care/employer mandates or nothing. So much for American innovation. I propose a March Madness bracket style solution. 6 teams on each side create a plan. Senate and congress vote each round to come up with a Final matchup. Put that to a public vote at the next national election. Then more people are invested in making it work and all that competition will have supposedly brought out the best option.
No this would be two plans and the nation has to pick one. It is the first thing you have to vote for in order to be able to vote for anything else. No abstain, no nothing. Just have to vote for one. Whichever one wins would have supposedly been the best from each party so we can't lose, right?
The problem with for profit healthcare is it is not a rational market. People do not make medical decisions with economic efficiency in mind. They will spend all of their money and all of anyone else's money to stay alive or relieve pain. The only humane system is one where the public makes the best rational decisions i.e. death panels. We assume the risks and we assume the responsibility to make the choices.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Baylor's Scott & White drops out of Obamacare exchange. They were in 58 Texas counties.<a href="https://t.co/I5ojIGPdBY" title="http://swhp.org/en-us/news-and-information">swhp.org/en-us/news-and…</a></p>— Phil Kerpen (@kerpen) <a href="https://twitter.com/kerpen/status/766041342313103361" data-datetime="2016-08-17T22:37:43+00:00">August 17, 2016</a></blockquote> <script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Certainly an understandable position to take. For me, the insurance industry has profited enormously for a long time (forever). I know this is un-capitalistic to say but maybe it is time to say ..."yes, you can still make a profit but not to the point where you are crippling the nation". There are tons of these insurance companies all making profits and the risk of one going bankrupt is very low because of overpricing. We need to make that pie smaller and yes, companies might shut down and jobs lost if they don't compete in the price war.
The drug companies as well. We don't need to charge people astronomical prices so they can research more pee pee pills.
I have two words for you. Hillary. Trump. Massive overhauls will not work. There are too many hand in the pot. You can't simply kill off insurance companies for a single payer system. Much like gun rights, you have to whittle away over time.
Anyone with any common sense knew this trainwreck of a law would raise prices for everyone and then fall apart.
They need to add the public option. Insurers have a right not to offer plans on the exchange. So put up a public option. Should be noted that it's only the subsidized plans they are complaining about.
If insurers have a right to pull plans, then obviously the insured under those plans do not get to keep their doctors. So, are you finally admitting Obama lied when he stated over and over that "you can keep your doctor"?
I think you should aim for an admission that he "unintentionally misled", there's very likely no situation where Sweet Lou would admit that the president lied. It's just too harsh of language for him to use against someone he loves that deeply.
Well, I was completely wrong about Obamacare. I thought the insurance industry was going to get rich off Obamacare. Shows what I know. My insurance costs have skyrocketed since Obamacare started, so I haven't liked it from the beginning. I remember all the town hall meetings before Obamacare with people talking about what needs to be done to bring down medical costs. Well, it seems more people have insurance, but the costs just keep going straight up. It's all very frustrating.
Anyone have a solution beside single payer? Or are we just going to watch medical cost keep going up and up until 70% of the national GDP is healthcare and defense related?
