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I can't turn on the TV without seeing a commercial for car insurance, and I'm sure you have noticed the same. Geico, Allstate, eInsurance, StateFarm, Progressive, etc. Why is that??? Wouldn't you love for Flo to be saying she could save you 15% on your health insurance??
Can health insurance ever be at this point? If not, why?? Has government intervention prevented it? Is it really the insurance companies trying to make more profits?
I know it's a different market...I would say instead of comparing apples and oranges, it's more like comparing grapefruits and oranges.
A lot of the problem with health insurance is that people expect insurance to pay for every thing. This is in contrast to 30 or so years ago when people paid for the small stuff and only used insurance for larger costs such as hospitalization. Now people expect insurance to pay for things that they could easily pay for themselves. In these circumstances insurance companies will have to and do increase the cost. If people were responsible for some of the costs they would be more likely to be smarter consumers of medical care.
Auto insurance has a fairly large deductible which keeps consumers from filing claims for the small stuff.
Because car insurance and health insurance are completely different. For one, the states highly regulate auto insurance and anyone must have it to own a car. Call that the individual mandate.
Next, let’s say that you are self-employed, and lucky enough to have found a company to provide you with health insurance. Then, let’s say you develop cancer. You suddenly find out that your insurance company stinks. So you think you're going to switch to one of those companies that advertize on TV?
Of course not. You’re screwed. Now you have a pre-existing condition. There’s not an insurance company out there that wants to cover you. So you don’t switch. You scream, and curse, and cry, but you’re stuck. Only healthy people have the luxury of picking and choosing.
Let’s also not forget that most people don’t find out that they’re not getting “good service” until they’re sick. Healthy people don’t make much use of their insurance, so they don’t know how bad it is. They only find out after they’re ill, and then it’s too late. It’s only fun to fire the insurance company if you’re sure you can go to another company to get what you need. Almost no one can.
If health insurance were like car insurance it would cost a lot less. You don't turn in a claim to change your oil or replace your windshield wipers, you use it only for significant loss. Health insurance should be used in the same manner.
When you have a flat tire, you don't call your insurance company. You pay somebody 10 bucks to plug it or whatever. When you have a sore throat, your insurance pays.
If health insurance were like car insurance it would cost a lot less. You don't turn in a claim to change your oil or replace your windshield wipers, you use it only for significant loss. Health insurance should be used in the same manner.
Because car insurance and health insurance are completely different. For one, the states highly regulate auto insurance and anyone must have it to own a car. Call that the individual mandate.
Next, let’s say that you are self-employed, and lucky enough to have found a company to provide you with health insurance. Then, let’s say you develop cancer. You suddenly find out that your insurance company stinks. So you think you're going to switch to one of those companies that advertize on TV?
Of course not. You’re screwed. Now you have a pre-existing condition. There’s not an insurance company out there that wants to cover you. So you don’t switch. You scream, and curse, and cry, but you’re stuck. Only healthy people have the luxury of picking and choosing.
Let’s also not forget that most people don’t find out that they’re not getting “good service” until they’re sick. Healthy people don’t make much use of their insurance, so they don’t know how bad it is. They only find out after they’re ill, and then it’s too late. It’s only fun to fire the insurance company if you’re sure you can go to another company to get what you need. Almost no one can.
Just one contradiction, and that's that states don't require it unless you use their roads. You can own a vehicle and keep in on private land and not have to pay insurance.
Anyway, moving on...
Why isn't health insurance geared more towards catastrophic type coverage? Is it the litigious nature of people in this country causing Doctors to do unneeded test?
I've shopped around and a routine doctor's appointment is around $90. I have a wife and 4 kids and we go to the Dr probably 5 times a year...that's total, not individually. I pay almost $500/month for health insurance that I never use and I have to pay a deductible!!
Honestly, I don't know who to point the finger at. I do know that turning it over to the government is a BAD idea, but it has to be fixed.
If health insurance were like car insurance it would cost a lot less. You don't turn in a claim to change your oil or replace your windshield wipers, you use it only for significant loss. Health insurance should be used in the same manner.
I can't turn on the TV without seeing a commercial for car insurance, and I'm sure you have noticed the same. Geico, Allstate, eInsurance, StateFarm, Progressive, etc. Why is that??? Wouldn't you love for Flo to be saying she could save you 15% on your health insurance??
Can health insurance ever be at this point? If not, why?? Has government intervention prevented it? Is it really the insurance companies trying to make more profits?
I know it's a different market...I would say instead of comparing apples and oranges, it's more like comparing grapefruits and oranges.
Not entirely. In some states you cannot get car insurance from someone outside of your state of residence. I simply do not agree with this. Even if you went with Geico, nationwide, in some states, you MUST have an agent from your state to obtain the insurance.
Let us cross state lines and get our insurance from any agent.
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