If competition lowers cost,

[Deja Q]

Health insurance (major medical insurance)
Main article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_insurance_companies#Health_insurance_.28major_medical_insurance.29

* Aetna
* American Association of Retired Persons
* American Family Insurance
* American National Insurance Company
* Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield
* Assurant
* Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association
* Cigna
* Fortis
* Golden Rule Insurance Company
* Group Health Cooperative
* Health Net
* HealthMarkets
* Humana Inc.
* Independent Health
* Intermountain Health Care
* Kaiser Permanente
* LifeWise Health Plan of Oregon
* Medical Mutual of Ohio
* Premera
* Principal Financial Group
* Regence Group
* Scott & White
* Shelter Insurance Companies
* Thrivent Financial for Lutherans
* UnitedHealth Group
* Unitrin
* Wellpoint

For what they do and don't disqualify for, insurance really should be going down 15% every year instead of UP 15% every year...

Thieves...

[MissMarple]

1. Actually, this isn't an easy problem, it's like a Gordian Knot, and no we can't just cut it.

The entire system is dysfunctional, and we are an integral part of it. This is going to take time and persistence, persistence is crucial.

[John Q. Citizen]

2. And lots of money, from us to the private insurance companies. That's crucial.

Only by giving the private insurance companies a TRILLION dollars a decade of public tax money, plus forcing every man woman and child who is capable to buy their product, can we ever hope to keep down costs and get everyone health care.

Sure it's not like any other country in the world does it, but so what?

It is sure to mean Max Baucus gets those big contributions, and every other Democrat too who votes the right way on this (No Dennis won't be getting the contributions just because he's a Democrat)

It's crucial that we persist in subsidizing the insurance industry and it's crucial that we pay a lot more for drugs than anyone else in the world for this to work.

I know it sounds crazy, but trust me. After a few decades you will see it's all for the best!

[MissMarple]

3. So, this is an easy problem? Really?

[John Q. Citizen]

4. Well, the problem is that we are being ripped off.

Do you see it as something else?

[MissMarple]

6. Well, yes, we are. All of us. I just don't know how we got here...

I think they helped in making it dysfunctional, but, we did, as well. One of the problems is that the health industry is so intertwined in our economy and so cozied up with what we want or think we want. It's a lot like Pogo..."We have met the enemy and he is us."

Rather than a huge conspiracy, though, it may just be greed, ineptness... and ignorance.

[John Q. Citizen]

8. No, there are some people who are making small and large fortunes from the current state of affairs.

It's not something most people are doing. It's something a very small percentage of the population does.

They are the people who bribe our law makers to keep things where they are at.


They are ripping the rest of us off.

[MissMarple]

9. I didn't mean we are all making pots of money.

People think they are getting something they, in fact, are not. The American people enable what has been going on, we tend to over use our medical system. We pay a lot for not so much in outcomes. We are technology addicted. And, sadly, many people like it that way. Lasik surgery is a case in point. Insurance doesn't usually cover it. Nevertheless, people really want it. Over the last ten years the technology has vastly improved, yet the cost has gone down. There is a reason for that. The way things are done now pours money into the system with no accountability for outcomes. People with insurance are buffered from the true cost of their care. Many don't realize there are facilities that could provide the same service for less. This drives up the cost for everyone across the board.

Our system is dysfunctional, and right now, most people are clueless. We are a part of the problem.

[Nikia]

5. Our local Thrivent Financial branch had an open house

Since they are non profit, I asked them if they had a health insurance plan that was less expensive than for profit insurance companies. They said that they were not allowed to do that or they would lose their not for profit status.
I really didn't understand how this could be.

[MissMarple]

7. Interesting. Some people might call that restraint of trade.

As in "must not upset the profit makers". Or could they making a profit and want to protect it? There must be some way to figure this out.