When you talk about costs, you must then consider - why are costs so high. Government programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and countless state programs don’t pay doctors & hospitals what it costs to treat patients. They pay them what they think they should be paid. As a result, Drs & hosptials charge patients & private insurance companies inflated prices to supplement.
On top of that, almost every state has laws that dictate what insurance companies must cover in their policies - including massage & aroma therapies, accupuncture, herbal treatments, etc. They are not allowed to let consumers pick & choose the coverages they want.
Ins companies are not fully innocent here either because they know they don’t make money off sick people. So, to make up for that, they convince healthy people that they NEED coverage - which is not guarantee to access.
It’s imperative we get away from this notion that our health is someone else’s responsibility and treat our health insurance like we treat car insurance - pay for our check-ups and tests and use insurance for the catastrophic instances.
Government in any form of regulation or control over the health industry is NOT the answer. I’d like to hear one candidate talk about the radical idea of de-regulation.
Dream on. I also do not like subsidizing the cost it takes to take care of the deadbeats and illegals. However, many cannot be faulted for their poor health. It is often hereditary. You’ll think differently when you come down with something. Enjoy your invincibility while you can.
You forgot to mention the government mandated costs for treating the 30 million illegal aliens in this country and the ‘medical tourists’ who come here from asia and the third world and inundate our county hospitals to get free medical care— SF General is one fine example.