there is not legitimate reason to have a for profit health insurance industry. we can try different approaches but what you propose is similar to the nation under the articles of confederation where each state goes it's own way....nuts!
As long as some Americans buy the Health Insurance Indutry's line, we will be forever behind the trend in looking out for one of the most bsic needs of a free and civilized society.
when you come out of your self imposed nightmare, you will find that a federal approach is nothing at all to be so fearful of.
This is going to be interesting. I wonder if it will become a Constitutional battle over the mandate to buy insurance.
Every state regulates its own insurnace and that is why insurance cannot be sold across state lines. I would suppose that somewhere in those 2000+ pages there is some referance to this, but if it has always been a state regulated item...
On the same track, if the Feds can sell the same policy across state lines, can other companies sell the same policy across state lines? Sauce for the goose and all that.
Will the same policy that works in NYC work on the plains of North Dakota? Will there be preferred provider networks recomended? Will there be HMO's structured to take advantage of the system's new capabilities? Will the fairly recent phenomenon of mega network hospitals be utilized in this or will they be regarded as too powerful and be broken up?
How much direction will the Feds assume and how much penatly will be charged to those who either fail to particiapate or who carry private insurance?
The Swiss pay $750/mo.? There are many insurance policies that can be had for $750/mo. right now that those w/o insurance could purchase. How many of these folks have the $9000.00/year to spend on this?
Not a real problem I suppose. With the 10 year added cost of the program which covers the costs of 30 million folks for the last 6 years of that period while not covering another 24 million, the average annual cost PER PERSON ADDED is $5,555.00 so that should about work out.
Too bad about the other 24 million and those that will be cut from Medicare.