There is a lot of problems with having insurance companies compete over state lines. The first is that it would wipe out the smaller companies, and give the large companies like United Health Care more power, which could be a real problem. The second issue is that it would be difficult for a physician to accept your plan- if you live in California and have an east Coast plan, your doctor will not be a provider on the plan.
The only way to reduce health care costs is to reduce the stupid stuff. Healthcare is supposed to be healthcare. it is not a social service agency. if you are homeless, you get discharged to the streets. Not an army of employed social workers who have to find you housing when you are discharged. The social burdens of healthcare is taking money away from actual healthcare.
Wouldn’t it work like it does now?
We live in California, but my husband’s company is based out of Illinois, so we have Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois.
We have doctors we can go to in California, and my kids in Alabama and Texas for college have doctors they can go to.
What’s interesting is that my daughter’s neurologist isn’t covered by Blue Cross of California, but is under our plan.