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You have just described a small insurance pool run by your doctor. A small insurance pool with limited benefits and an in-network network of 1. It fixes boo-boos and doesn't address in-patient services of expensive care or operations
It depends on how it's set up. Even if it was to cover more expensive services, it would cut costs dramatically due to lack of overhead, bureaucracy, etc.
You could replace health insurance with savings and prudent behavior.
Tax free investment accounts for your health insurance?
Maybe hospitals would also become more prudent.
I always thought that tax free accounts for health care and retirement were a great, no brainer idea.
They would be mandatory, however there would be a strict hands off policy so the government couldn't use them like its does SS for it's own personal slush fund.
Contributions would start at your first job and follow you from job to job throughout your life.
I would think a five percent minimum with no maximum would be smart, but you could only use it for health care or retirement .......however the money would never be taxed on either end and you would also be free to pass any unused money to your children or family, which would go directly into their accounts for them to use in the same manner
Any funds left when someone passes away with no relatives to leave the accounts to could go into a general fund to help those who's accounts don't have enough to cover needed care.
Yes I realize that sounds a little pie in the sky but I don't know why it couldn't be made to work, other than the fact that it makes too much sense.
You have just described a small insurance pool run by your doctor. A small insurance pool with limited benefits and an in-network network of 1. It fixes boo-boos and doesn't address in-patient services or expensive care or operations
OK, so any ideas related to the op? What would happen if there was no health insurance? Any ideas on how things could work without it on a large scale?
If the injuries are minor, yes. Like I said, obviously this model would not work in all scenarios but it does shows how some doctors are getting away from insurance and thinking outside of the box. I'm sure there are a lot of other ways we could make healthcare work for people without insurance and that is the purpose of this thread. Figuring out how things would look without insurance.
Do you have any ideas that you would like to contribute, Chimeulojones?
What are the costs of other high demand items that are not insured?
There is no food insurance, but we all need food to live. How are food prices?
There is no water insurance, but we all need water to live. How are water prices?
We have car insurance for collision and liability, but we don't have insurance for gasoline, routine maintenance/repairs, and upkeep. How are those costs?
I do have homeowners insurance for catastrophic stuff, but not for new flooring, roofing, and other general homeowner costs. How are those kind of costs?
Prior to WW II, health insurance, for people who even had it, was for catastrophic costs and high risk occupations. Most people paid for medical services like they paid for electricity. You got the service, the doc gave/sent you a bill, you paid the bill. Hospitals worked the same way. You stayed, they took care of you, you got a bill with everything listed on it, and you paid it.
The post WW II anti-competition laws were what got employers into the health insurance as benefit business. It has done nothing but jack prices up ever since.
It seems to me, health insurance costs have gone up because there are major changes in the medical field:
More medications to treat a wider variety of diseases/illnesses
Higher life expectancy
Improved technology for procedures, surgeries, etc.
Increase in Drs who are considered "specialists"
Catastrophic and routine are subjective. The OP is describing a very fundamental option. What does it cover? What can or will her Dr. do?
There is a world between routine care and catastrophic.
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What are the costs of other high demand items that are not insured?
There is no food insurance, but we all need food to live. How are food prices?
There is no water insurance, but we all need water to live. How are water prices?
We have car insurance for collision and liability, but we don't have insurance for gasoline, routine maintenance/repairs, and upkeep. How are those costs?
I do have homeowners insurance for catastrophic stuff, but not for new flooring, roofing, and other general homeowner costs. How are those kind of costs?
Prior to WW II, health insurance, for people who even had it, was for catastrophic costs and high risk occupations. Most people paid for medical services like they paid for electricity. You got the service, the doc gave/sent you a bill, you paid the bill. Hospitals worked the same way. You stayed, they took care of you, you got a bill with everything listed on it, and you paid it.
The post WW II anti-competition laws were what got employers into the health insurance as benefit business. It has done nothing but jack prices up ever since.
Good points. Health insurance has dramatically increased the cost of care. Maybe it's time to dial it back. I can see the benefit to having catastrophic plans in addition to a cash system.
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