Health insurer CEO comment.

[Ferocious]

In spite of the wider role Congress created for private insurers in the recently enacted Medicare reform bill, the chief executive officer of the region's largest health insurer yesterday said he believes the country will inevitably move toward a national health insurance plan for all age groups.

national health insurance inevitable?

 

[CADsortaGUY]

A great wise leader once said:
"Are you willing to spend time studying the issues, making yourself aware, and then conveying that information to family and friends? Will you resist the temptation to get a government handout for your community? Realize that the doctor's fight against socialized medicine is your fight. We can't socialize the doctors without socializing the patients. Recognize that government invasion of public power is eventually an assault upon your own business. If some among you fear taking a stand because you are afraid of reprisals from customers, clients, or even government, recognize that you are just feeding the crocodile hoping he'll eat you last."
-Ronald Reagan, Address to the nation, October 27, 1964

Let us all hope this CEO's beliefs(fears) are proven wrong by the people of this great nation.

CkG

 

[heartsurgeon]

i actually agree with the CEO's comments.

I despise the idea of "nationalized" health care.

But between people wanting to spend as little money as possible on health care, while simultaneously demanding the best care, immediately, and our friends the Trial Lawyers of America trying to convince everyone that there is no malpractice crisis, and that they are only in it to "protect" the public from "bad" doctors, reimbursement is plummeting, overhead is skyrocketting, and the point will arrive in my lifetime, when doctors will not be able to afford to work! the costs of purchasing malpractice, hiring staff to run an office, and office rent, will exceed what medicare and insurance companies are willing to pay!
this is happening right now in Pennsylvania. Doctors will flock to a nationalized health system where they have fixed hours, fixed salaries, and well defined benefits.....the losers aren't going to be the doctors...it's going to be the patient's....

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

I think the answer is in reform for the insurance industry in general. Life has to be made easier on them before we'll see any relief since they're dealing with out of control fraud and litigation.

Saying the "Republican's" Medicare reform is going to push us into nationalized healthcare is pretty rediculous though...I don't know why a decades old policy has to be politicized like that.

 

[sandorski]

The US Healthcare system is getting ridiculously expensive, Nationalized Healthcare is the cure. The problem is that there are too many companies trying to maximize their profits in a sector that is an essential service(in the mind of the consumer, but also for the Nation as a whole). Removing the Profit motive is a great step towards bringing the costs under control.

 

[Mill]

Originally posted by: sandorski
The US Healthcare system is getting ridiculously expensive, Nationalized Healthcare is the cure. The problem is that there are too many companies trying to maximize their profits in a sector that is an essential service(in the mind of the consumer, but also for the Nation as a whole). Removing the Profit motive is a great step towards bringing the costs under control.

No, nationalized is not the answer. Maybe we can help the less fortunate, but I'm not going to give up my private insurance. A two or even three tier system would be better.