Everything the Blue Dogs and Republican propose: Tort Reform, Competition Across State lines, Co-ops, Trigger... Benefits the Insurance Industry Not the People.
The GOP made heatlth care a Constitutional Right for all Iraqi citizens, including Single-Payer. Yet they are advocating for the Insurance Industy, with misinformation, against their constituents' best interests.
It is the "for-profit" model - paying 25-30% more for health care to cover exorbitant salaries, advertising, stockholders, political contributions and for the Insurance Industry to lobby against us to increase their profits and remove competition. Pitting Profits against Patients is economically unsound, unethical and a conflict of interest. It is outright ghastly. cartoon video description
The top 10 rated countries have universal coverage, require non-profit health care whether it's public or private sector, and have sustainable % of GDP. They all have higher rates of survival from treatable disease. The U.S., rated 37th, has more deaths per 100,000 from treatable diseases, spends $3-6000 more per person, 6-12% more per GDP and we don't have universal coverage. It's insanity!
Free Market means the Insurance Industry pits patient care against profit margin. The less treatment you provide, the more money you make. The more people you refuse to cover because of pre-existing conditions, the larger the profit margin.
Tort Reform does not lower cost to consumers. It benefits Insurance companies and doctors at the expense of the patient. Doctors pay less for malpractice insurance, but it also spares them from high consequences in cases of egregious malpractice. The worst part of Tort reform is that it increases the Insurance Industry's profits. If a health insurance company is sued for refusal of treatment, or tests requested by a doctor for their patient, they will literally have zero consequences. Suggested is a limit of $250,000 per patient. Patients lose, doctors and the Insurance Industry win.
Competition across state lines sounds great in theory. The problem is it becomes "a rush to the bottom." Insurance Companies will move to states with the least regulations. You buy insurance thinking you’re covered, as your state requires, but it's not required in the state where the insurance company is located. Patients get less coverage, outrageous "out of pocket" expenses, but pay the same premiums; this increases the profits for insurance companies. There is no viable competitor. Costs are not lowered. This is "Romney Care" with plenty of competition between private insurance: "Bay State health insurance premiums highest in country." By Kay Klazar
Comparing the fact that Medicare is going bankrupt as a reason not to "trust" government run health care is ludicrous. Medicare is going bankrupt because it is used to hold money paid in over decades, then at 65 when seniors need the most expensive care, we pay the bills. A government run public option is absolutely nothing like this. The services would be the same, but it is exactly like a non-profit private insurance without the advertising, exorbitant salaries, and billions to lobby congress.
Co-ops were tried from 1930's -1940's and failed; funding was cut off. They do not affect Insurance Industry pricing (GAO study done March 2000). Co-ops that become actual competition (e.g. blue cross/blue shield) are bought up and run by the Insurance Industry to keep prices steady. They remain non-profit but do not affect % of GDP or price to the consumer.
United Health Group and others will run successful non-profits, writing off billions in advertising, exorbitant salaries and lobbyists. They will not lower costs because that affects the profit margin for the entire industry.
We will be forced ("mandated") to buy into, and subsidize, the massive increase of profits for the Insurance Inustry. This is unacceptable!
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