Want Good Health Insurance? Too Bad, It's Illegal

[CuteOldGuy]

Here's a rational answer to health insurance. Let's just try imposing some freedom on the system. Radical, eh?

If We Want Better Health Insurance For All, Why Are We Making It Illegal?


LP Chair: If We Want Better Health Insurance For All, Why Are We Making It Illegal?
WASHINGTON -- Libertarian National Committee Chair, Mark Hinkle, released the following statement today:
“While President Obama and the Republicans in Congress spend time debating whether religious groups must provide their employees free contraceptives, a far more fundamental issue is being ignored: if we want better health insurance for all, why are we making it illegal?
“ObamaCare, known in Massachusetts as RomneyCare, effectively outlaws true health insurance. Insurance, if you think about it, should exist to protect you against catastrophic expenditures. For example, car insurance doesn’t cover the cost of gas and oil, as it would be outrageously expensive due to the incentive for increased driving. Similarly, health insurance should not cover ordinary and predictable costs, yet remains outrageously expensive because it does.
“Then why do consumers continue to buy overpriced insurance that covers predictable costs? Government. First, the senseless connection of health insurance to employment is the result of a system that taxes cash wages but not health benefits, punishing employees who would rather have higher cash wages while making their own personal choice of health coverage. Second, special interests in every state have lobbied legislators to mandate coverage for their particular product or service. Finally, regulation not only drives up the cost of healthcare, but also restricts entry into the field, leading to even higher prices.
“The result is this: if you want inexpensive health insurance, but don’t want coverage for alcoholism, weight loss programs and baldness treatments, and would prefer a deductible based on your personal finances: TOUGH. Even if you’re not stuck with your employer’s choices, the type of individually tailored coverage you want is illegal.
“Instead of ObamaRomneyCare, we need to decriminalize good health insurance. Eliminate the coverage mandates, the laws against purchasing health insurance across state lines, and the unfavorable tax treatment of personal insurance policies. Remove the regulations that block entry of new insurers, including charitable organizations which could provide catastrophic protection for the poor and the club-based insurance policies that were once popular before the insurance industry and American Medical Association both pushed to make them illegal.
“As for contraception? Women shouldn’t need a permission slip from their doctor to have safe sex. Removing the prescription requirement would massively reduce the cost of contraceptives, making it far more affordable. In turn, this would ease the burden on groups such as Planned Parenthood that have long provided free contraceptives to those in need.”

Website of original: http://www.lp.org/news/press-release...ing-it-illegal

[Echeck]

Interesting post, I think Obama's health insurance law was big mess. However, I honestly doubt anyone will get around to fixing it...

[essence]

I have a lot of sympathy for this.

I remember at school a teacher said that insurance was for things which you could not afford, or which would be catastrophic. Otherwise long term it is poor economics.

So, I have never insured my household contents (no, I won;t say where I live, and I think I can replace my TV if stolen, anything else is either of no economic value, or too heavy to move).

I do insure my buildings (required anyway by mortgage peeps).

I do take out professional liability insurance (my choice, not cheap in US), I do take out car insurance for third party liability (required).

But I don't pay for recovery insurance.

For health, I don't take out insurance, apart from when I am employed and the company pays.

But I have the national health in the UK for important problems, and I can pay to accelerate other simple things (e.g. dental treatment).

I'm no sure why my taxes are spent on cosmetic surgery, but probably there are a few sick people who cannot change their lifestyle without some 'help'. On the scale of overall spending, it is probably a minute proportion, but easy headlines.

The only thing is that in the UK we end up paying twice - for national health through taxes, and for private if we need it in addition.

Same with education, you pay tax for public education, and pay again for private education if you choose that.

[essence]

ps you need a prescription for a birth control pill in the US? That is crazy.

I don;t think you need one in the UK. I remember I had an accident with a sugar baby once in the UK and we went round the corner and got a morning after pill over the counter, after a couple of questions from the
pharmacist.

on checking - yes you do need a prescription for the bc pill in the UK, but it is very easy to get one, and it makes sense to talk to a professional to get the best one for you. I don;t think they are very expensive. Morning after pill is about $40 (that is forty, not one hundred and forty).

I don't see why needing a prescription necessarily keeps prices high....especially if a visit to the doctor is free, as in the UK (pace those who say it is not free, we pay with taxes).

[Don't Be Daft!]

Essence: You are correct mate! The NHS is entirely government run and the only issue we currently have is about a week or two wait time for surgical procedures. All the talk that socialized medicine can't work is total rubbish. Our healthcare is 100% run by the government it it works.

[essence]

Originally Posted by liberaldevil

Essence: You are correct mate! The NHS is entirely government run and the only issue we currently have is about a week or two wait time for surgical procedures. All the talk that socialized medicine can't work is total rubbish. Our healthcare is 100% run by the government it it works.

but nobody would say it can't be improved.

[cptjohnstone]

Originally Posted by liberaldevil

Essence: You are correct mate! The NHS is entirely government run and the only issue we currently have is about a week or two wait time for surgical procedures. All the talk that socialized medicine can't work is total rubbish. Our healthcare is 100% run by the government it it works.

except for dental work

[essence]

Originally Posted by cptjohnstone

except for dental work

Yeah, I had to pay a grand total of about 300 bucks for the pleasure of a gold crown. But the nurse was gorgeous, worth every penny. I couldn't wait for her to lean over and give my mouth another rinse.

[cptjohnstone]

Originally Posted by essence

Yeah, I had to pay a grand total of about 300 bucks for the pleasure of a gold crown. But the nurse was gorgeous, worth every penny. I couldn't wait for her to lean over and give my mouth another rinse.

where do you get a gold crown for $300? I normally pay $1000

one of dentist is Dr Payne

[Laz]

Originally Posted by CuteOldGuy

Here's a rational answer to health insurance. Let's just try imposing some freedom on the system. Radical, eh?

If We Want Better Health Insurance For All, Why Are We Making It Illegal?


LP Chair: If We Want Better Health Insurance For All, Why Are We Making It Illegal?
WASHINGTON -- Libertarian National Committee Chair, Mark Hinkle, released the following statement today:
“While President Obama and the Republicans in Congress spend time debating whether religious groups must provide their employees free contraceptives, a far more fundamental issue is being ignored: if we want better health insurance for all, why are we making it illegal?
“ObamaCare, known in Massachusetts as RomneyCare, effectively outlaws true health insurance. Insurance, if you think about it, should exist to protect you against catastrophic expenditures. For example, car insurance doesn’t cover the cost of gas and oil, as it would be outrageously expensive due to the incentive for increased driving. Similarly, health insurance should not cover ordinary and predictable costs, yet remains outrageously expensive because it does.
“Then why do consumers continue to buy overpriced insurance that covers predictable costs? Government. First, the senseless connection of health insurance to employment is the result of a system that taxes cash wages but not health benefits, punishing employees who would rather have higher cash wages while making their own personal choice of health coverage. Second, special interests in every state have lobbied legislators to mandate coverage for their particular product or service. Finally, regulation not only drives up the cost of healthcare, but also restricts entry into the field, leading to even higher prices.
“The result is this: if you want inexpensive health insurance, but don’t want coverage for alcoholism, weight loss programs and baldness treatments, and would prefer a deductible based on your personal finances: TOUGH. Even if you’re not stuck with your employer’s choices, the type of individually tailored coverage you want is illegal.
“Instead of ObamaRomneyCare, we need to decriminalize good health insurance. Eliminate the coverage mandates, the laws against purchasing health insurance across state lines, and the unfavorable tax treatment of personal insurance policies. Remove the regulations that block entry of new insurers, including charitable organizations which could provide catastrophic protection for the poor and the club-based insurance policies that were once popular before the insurance industry and American Medical Association both pushed to make them illegal.
“As for contraception? Women shouldn’t need a permission slip from their doctor to have safe sex. Removing the prescription requirement would massively reduce the cost of contraceptives, making it far more affordable. In turn, this would ease the burden on groups such as Planned Parenthood that have long provided free contraceptives to those in need.”

Website of original: http://www.lp.org/news/press-release...ing-it-illegal

[essence]

Originally Posted by cptjohnstone

where do you get a gold crown for $300? I normally pay $1000

In the UK. I can't be sure of the price, as I was away in the US and by the time i got back the crown would not fit, so he just filled me up, and I didn't pay for the crown. But that was roughly the price.

In the UK you have to pay for dental work, but you can go to a national health dentist and it is cheaper. Not sure how much is subsidised by government if at all. The medical care is very good, but there are no frills. Apart from the nurses.

[nevergaveitathought]

health insurance is illegal. what obama care is isnt insurance. its mandatory coverages for a guaranteed profit to insurance companies. there is no risk involved as in insurance, there is no underwriting nor exclusions. the purchaser cant pick or choose, the "insurer" cant exclude.

thats why the madatory fee is imposed. to guarantee profit to the, for lack of a better term, insurance companies. else the "insurance companies" would have fought obamacare tooth and nail. now they have a guaranteed profit and are mere middlemen administrators.

its a huge attack on liberty. since obama has been in office he has had Texas and some other states in his cross hairs, to bring Texas down so that there can be no benefit to becoming a citizen of Texas as opposed to massachusetts or california. the mandated coverages, for example, raise the cost of all policies and no longer can you purchase a coverage you may need. while some of his attacks may not be deemed unconstitutional by the unenlightened, they certainly are anti-constitutional

when the constitution was written, there was no bill of rights. it was explained that, look you need no bill of rights, its written in the constitution what the federal government can do, see only these enumerated powers. the central government can do no more, the states reserve the remaining powers. some didn't buy it, and wouldnt agree without at least the first ten admendments. and they, the amendments, were seen by others as superfluous. if they only knew how precious they have become.

now what do we have? we only have the amendments as little life boats which protect the people and states in very limited ways. we are huddled separately in little groups in our individual favorite amendment of the moment. afloat, clinging to words in the admendments as life preservers, saying in effect, no big government you cant do that for we do have freedom of expression or freedom of religion. and it divides us into groups, for some see no reason for the third amendment or part of the first or whatever the case is, further dividing and diluting the people. we no longer have the constitution as protection itself. the mother ship has hit an iceberg. we need to say, this far and no further.