mykidslovedogs
Full time employment: Posting here.
- Joined
- Dec 13, 2006
- Messages
- 860
The answer is, " I don't know" - I am sure it's a lot. But, as I said before, in a free market system, that's really a mute point, because whatever the market will bear is how much providers of healthcare and heathcare services should make. When the market won't bear anymore rate increases, something will change - as is already happening. People are adopting HSAs like crazy, and so far, the great MAjORITY of my clients have been HAPPY with the products they have chosen. Those who want full benefits will pay more and those who can't afford traditional plans or HSAs will ofentimes opt for limited-benefit plans, which offer very good coverage for office visits and prescription drugs at a greatly reduced price. Additionally, super-chain stores are now all competing over the $4 generic prescription list to get customers into their pharmacies, and insurance companies are frantically trying to develop affordable, full-coverage plans for young people to attract them back into the ranks of the insured. (A HUGE portion of the uninsured are currently people in the 19-34 yr old age bracket who are healthy and see less risk than reward in purchasing health insurance).You didn't answer the question. How much profit do insurance carriers make?
People will not pay for any product that costs more than their income or more than their lifestyles can bear. Rates will naturally flatten very soon, because insurance companies aren't going to raise their premiums so high that no-one can afford their products. People aren't going to pay more for insurance than what it would cost them to cash-pay....and they aren't going to pay for insurance if they feel they have less risk than reward. That would put the insurance companies out of business and I am sure they aren't stupid enough to do that. By the same token, doctors and providers are not going to be able to negotiate higher rates with insurance companies if it makes it so no-one in the whole United States can afford it. Markets take care of themselves over time.
No one was ever able to answer my earlier question with certainty either...."How many people in single payor systems die or live in excruciating pain while they are stuck on a waiting list?" Isn't that question ultimately more important than how much money their doctor or health insurance company is making?
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