As someone who used to work for an insurance company, I’d rather deal with the mafia, they have better business ethics.

It seems to me that if they had faith that the corporations were more capable of delivering on the promises of providing healthcare (or rather, payment for same), they would simply allow the market to do its thing. And yet they fear competition with teh socializms, almost as if….

Hmmm.  Makes ya think, no?

Makes ya think, no?

Yes.  It makes me crazy when the Rethugs argue for market based solutions, or something along those lines, for the health insurance crisis.  Ummm, it’s “market based solutions” that got us in this mess to begin with!

Thanks to the “bipartisan” (both conservative) 1945 McCarran–Ferguson Act, insurance companies are exempt from a lot of federal regulation, including monopolist behavior and other anti-fair trade activities.  This has been whittled away by the Feds over time, especially the PPACA, which is why the health insurance industry sought to preserve their sinecure. Point is that the health insurance industry does not have any necessary role at all except for cosmetic and other indulgent health care. Our health care system is based on profit before health outcomes which is so screwed up.

You too, B4? (I was also a cog in the Big Insurance wheel, once upon a time.) If we must do something to save the poor insurance companies, I say we mandate insurance for gun owners.

I know this thread is way old, but I had a ‘discussion’ with an overly-friendly/talkative guy in the line at the post office a few days ago.  First, I didn’t let the “gee, why can’t the post office make money, look how ling we are standing in line!” crap slide, and mentioned the congressman from Fed Ex and the beyond onerous rules for pension and health care that the post office now labors under.  (Seriously, why doesn’t the Post Office make a bigger stink about this, did the legislation make that illegal?).

Next he got onto health insurance, and how some docs in their 50’s that he golfs with are saying they are going to quit, retire, close their practices, etc. this year rather than be forced into treating poor people through ACA.  I cynically commented how nice it was for them that they could afford to quit their jobs and never work again at such a young age.  He caught the hint that perhaps these guys were overpaid and wavered a bit there.  My comment about how health insurance sucks up 30% of the health care dollar got him all sorts of upset, with his counter claim that it is “only 3%, not 30%”.  Then he bitched that his compensation as an independent sales agent was crap compared to what it used to be, so I asked him what the CEO’s of the companies he represents make each year, and that their mid-8 figures salaries are totally out of line with what happens in other western countries, or that the Swiss health insurance system is private, covers everyone, and is non-profit.  I then cynically noted that it sure depends on whether you get your information, from independent sources or from publications prepared by an insurance industry that doesn’t want to see it’s profit-filled gravy train come to an end. 

Then it was his turn at the counter, but I do think (1) I rather ruined his day, and (2) entertained the hell out of the rest of the people in line.

Nicely done, SOAS!

Yes, indeed SOAS.  I’m really waiting to hear about all the docs who will hang up their stethoscopes because their profit margins might go down a little under ACA!!11!!1

Kind of like medical Phil Mickelsons.  Boo hoo hoo.

But when it comes to actually giving up the gravy train?  Nah gonna happen.