Giant Pool wrote:
agip wrote:
you don't know what I want.
but yeah in general I think the ACA had the right idea - make everyone buy health insurance, and subsidize the poor. Create a giant, giant private insurance pool.
That would have worked, but for the GOP obsession with taking away people's health care.
Other Giant Pools that Republicans keep quiet about:
-- Auto Insurance -- don't have it, don't get to drive
-- Mortgage Insurance -- don't have, don't get a loan.
-- Business / Contractor Liability Insurance -- don't have and good luck getting hired.
I can't believe I have to explain this to what I assume are educated adults.....
Those other examples of insurance are not even remotely comparable to our health care system ("health insurance"). Those other insurance types are actually rooted in actuarial tables, data, probabilities, etc. That is what insurance is supposed to be. The pricing is based on the likelihood that an accident will occur. In addition, these insurance markets are very competitive, so costs are subject to downward pressure. Tying insurance to the law is not a bad idea here, because the insurance is actual insurance. Health "insurance" is not even remotely rooted in actuarial formulas.
Health "insurance" is really a third party payment system at this point. If you've stepped foot in a basic economics class, you'd know that third party payment systems are insanely inefficient. Every single time you interact with someone in the health care system, money is paid out.
On top of this, health care is largely fee-for-service. If you've stepped foot in a basic economics class, you'd know that fee-for-service industries are insanely inefficient. Fee-for-service industries are at the root of many of the most unsustainable industries (health care, law, academia, etc.).
So our health care ("insurance") system is based on two of the most inefficient system models you could even come up with. This dumbed-down "giant pool" idea shows a complete lack of understanding of basic economics. You think it will control costs?! Are you mad?! There's literally no incentive for anyone in the system to reduce costs! To make things even worse, nearly every provision of the ACA intentionally increased demand for health care (if you've stepped foot in a basic economics class, you'd know that increasing demand for something will only increase costs). You were sold a bill of goods that was a complete lie. The insurance industry made out like bandits and Obama lied to your face so he could expand coverage the easiest (laziest) way possible.
So to your examples, where the "giant pool" is a component of the actuarial formulas to determine pricing-
Auto insurance is solely for damage to the vehicle and personal injury. Does it cover general repairs for wear parts (tires, brakes, tie-rods, etc)? Nope. Can you get a rack or hitch installed? No, no you can't. You pay out of pocket for everything car related that is not an accident/damage. This are the equivalent to going to the doctor for a checkup, or maybe a common cold or flu. Who pays for those visits to the doctor though? You? Nope- Who knows?! Who cares- I hardly see any of the bill! Yay health insurance!
Does Contractor Liability insurance cover the tools they need to get the job done? What about extra materials that they didn't originally plan for? Nope and nope.
Again, the insurance in these industries are rooted in actuarial formulas that cover major accidents. The costs are actually pretty controllable, and the insurance market is very competitive. Health insurance is NOT.