I think you're still confused because you're trying to picture a role for health insurers in a single-payer system.
Not confused. I understand that you propose the demise if health insurance companies.
The government replaces them and takes over their function
Exactly. And that is what "nationalizing" an industry is. If you want to get rid of health insurance companies and have the Federal government take over their functions on one hand and then deny that you want to nationalize the health insurance industry on the other, that's bogus.
If the government abolishes Detroit and starts manufacturing and selling cars, they've nationalized the auto industry. If they abolish health insurance companies and start creating plans, setting standards, determining how much to pay for what, making payments, etc, they've nationalized the health insurance industry.
So it's not a matter of creating non-profit health insurance companies. In the extreme, there are no private health insurance companies at all.
This comment was independent of our discussion on nationalizing the health insurance industry. I didn't mean that I thought you were advocating non-profit health insurance companies. I was saying that, if you want to eliminate the cost of advertising and profits, which you said you wanted to do, you don't have to go so far as to nationalize the industry, you could just make it non-profit. It's the most direct way and least disruptive way to accomplish your stated objectives.
I'm not suggesting doing that, either. I'm just trying to get you to evaluate your objectives and from them work up a solution to fit, not finding ways to rationalize your desired solution. |
