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Young people get killed every day in random automobile accidents. Is that acceptable to you?
Stuff happens. Equal outcomes aren't guaranteed.
Equal outcomes aren't guaranteed, no. But we, as a society, wouldn't leave someone bleeding in the middle of a street because they were in a car accident. That's exactly what we do with people who develop acute or chronic conditions before they have the ability to pay for them (if they ever gain that ability).
"They pay lip service to small employers and individual buyers of health insurance."
Are you talking form experience or just what you have heard?
I have worked for large and small businesses, my experience counters what you are claiming.
"There are also restrictions that prevent health insurers from selling insurance across state lines."
Actually that is a myth.
To sell ANYTHING in a state you need license from that state.
Each state, as far as I know, has it's OWN insurance commissioner. The Insurance Commission sets basic requirements on what an insurance company has to offer in their state if they want to do business there.
ALL insurance companies are FREE to offer insurance in any state as long as they meet the requirements of the Insurance commission.
" What don't the other major health insurance companies want to do business in Western PA?"
You will have to ask them that, which I suggest you do some research and find out INSTEAD of speaking from ignorance.They CAN if they WANT to and meet the requirements.
"Who is going to get a better policy at a lower price, a person buying a policy for his family or an employer with 5,000 employees?"
Volume buying is ALWAYS cheaper. Which is one reason why Wa-lMart can sell the same products as other stores because of the bigger volume.
Is it cheaper per bottle for you to buy 1 Coke or a case?
The more you buy the cheaper the cost per item.
Basic economics.
Health insurance is a sold, service. The MORE you buy, the cheaper per unit.
First of all I'm speaking from experience as a hospital executive and healthcare consultant, but I will be the first to admit that hospital executives have little understanding of the big picture.
The health insurance market consists of three distinct segments: large group, small group and individual. Therefore the 50 state health insurance markets are fragmented into 150 different state markets due to state by state pricing regulation. This defeats the whole purpose of insurance. This was also the biggest accomplishment of Obamacare, the attempt to make insurance available and affordable to individual buyers. As many have realized, Obamacare doesn't go far enough to overcome the issues making health insurance so expensive.
I don't have to do research on why health insurers don't want to do business in Western Pennsylvania. The reason is because two hospital systems own most of the hospitals and each of them are affiliated with the two major health insurers.
You did an excellent job explaining why the health insurance market is not competitive. I'm sure glad other products and services are not sold the same way in this country.
Equal outcomes aren't guaranteed, no. But we, as a society, wouldn't leave someone bleeding in the middle of a street because they were in a car accident. That's exactly what we do with people who develop acute or chronic conditions before they have the ability to pay for them (if they ever gain that ability).
We also "let" millions of others die every year. Can't save everyone, even when the technology and medical treatments and equipment to do so is available.
This is true. Don't forget the smokers. In the healthcare field, we call them "job security."
Well, then... You should be able to understand the following adult obesity-related health care disaster, created by the food stamp program:
Income-eligible adults who get food stamps: 44% obesity rate.
Income-eligible adults who do not get food stamps: 33% obesity rate.
Higher-income adults who of course don't even qualify for food stamps: 32% obesity rate.
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