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Politics : A US National Health Care System? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Road Walker who wrote (4618)	2/19/2008 11:16:52 AM
From: TimF	Respond to of 42652

1. My employer provided "insurance" is 100% paid, no deductible, minimal co-pays. That's primarily a health care payment plan, not insurance. I don't see the need for everyone to have a pre-paid health care payment plan. To the extent there is a need to have people covered (and that's a bit debatable) what they need is real insurance, coverage to keep them from being wiped out if a serious problem arises. 2. A policy with a $1000 deductible (and you figure a family of four will have enough problems to eat that up) costs between (for the sake of argument) $7K and $10K. I found a $500 deductible for $4188/year and even a $0 deductible and $0 copay for less than $7K ($6504). No way they can afford to pay $5K per year on health care. And typically they wouldn't. Some years you might, that's why you have savings accounts, either normal ones that can be used for anything, or HSAs, or they could just go to the $500, or maybe $1000 deductible plans.

To: Road Walker who wrote (4618)	2/19/2008 11:36:30 AM
From: Peter Dierks	Respond to of 42652

You are providing the definition of what you decided is ok. There are a couple hundred million people in the country, most of whom have different opinions than you. Would it be all right with you if they had a voice in the discussion rather than you dictating what you want? "But to take #3 and say "Jeez health insurance is cheap" is disingenuous. It's not even health insurance as defined by what most people get through work." (3. $5K deductible plans) For many people a HSA with a catastrophic coverage only plan is just what they need. There does not seem to be much disagreement that one of the drivers of high costs is the lack of self interest in cost containment. You have posted that the rack rate for a surgery was several times what the provider accepted as full reimbursement. If people had self interest in their costs, that would not be the norm. Your "employer paid" health plan is not employer paid. You have chosen to accept health coverage in lieu of financial compensation. Why should everyone be forced to make the same decision you did? Talk about taking away freedoms, you probably want the government to spy on you too.