Why do we need these money grubbing health insurance companies?

[i_was_myself]

All they do is add frustration and cost to health care. Even government run single payer would be better than free market greed.

[wittymarble891]

They used to say that they would help keep the cost of health care down.

They don't say that anymore.

[Ron K]

That's funny ... LOL

Go to the DMV and see how government runs. Long Lines .. people in "service" positions that couldn't give a sh** about anything except their pension and their breaks. Government ruins.

[Bobby]

You do not understand economics. If an insurance company was charging too much another one would under cut with the same coverage. Read a little Econ. An opinion is not an informed opinion

[BigDog]

We don't, it's time to let the HMO's go the way of the dinosaurs and the Republican party.

[grump56]

Because of the money grubbing hospitals. By the way Bobby, your theory really works with the oil companies huh?

[stung4ever]

Because the alternative is putting our health in the hands of money grubbing politicians.

[InReality01]

You are completely wrong. First off, government does very little correctly and nothing efficiently. Government does things based on political considerations and not economic or common sense principles. The government has no market discipline because government doesn't care about turning a profit. Government has not been able to manage public education, social security, or a host of other programs. They are all failing and costing us a fortune. Insurance companies are like any other business. Insurance companies are made up of people. People own them (often times through stocks) and run them. People are employed by insurance companies. Insurance companies offer a needed & wanted product by people. Insurance companies spread risk over a large pool of people and allow individuals to have insurance by paying a fee based upon their risk value. Without insurance companies people would not be able to protect their assets. There are all types of insurance..... home, auto, life, business, renter's, health, pet, etc., etc. This nation was founded on individual freedom, a limited federal government and minimal taxation. The reason our nation works is because we are free and we have free markets. People are not forced to do anything. People can choose to do business with whatever companies they wish. Freedom has given us our great nation and it is insane to think that now we can trust government to take over everything and lead us into the future. Our nation would have never succeeded to begin with if this happened. Here are a couple quotes from Thomas Jefferson that I think pertain to this subject. #1 - "A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned - this is the sum of good government." #2 - "When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty." #3 - "I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than those attending too small a degree of it." #4 - "It behooves every man who values liberty of conscience for himself, to resist invasions of it in the case of others: or their case may, by change of circumstances, become his own." Wow, it is amazing how our Founding Fathers talked. Too bad we have no politicians today that talk like this and too bad our schools don't teach it. God Bless America.

[Cobo]

thanks

[Arthur]

Well, I'll admit they certainly add to frustration. I guess we'd be much better off with a government run plan ... they've done such a good job running the US Postal Service <sigh>. I'm trying to think of *anything* the government does that is efficient, cost-effective, & well-run .... social security or Medicare? Go visit your local social security office. Uh, department of motor vehicles? Trying getting your licensed renewed there. Oh, I know - the federal bureaucracy! That's run efficiently, that's for sure.

BTW - if the proposed government run health plans are going to be so efficient and good for us, then why has Congress specifically excluded themselves from it?