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I’d like the replacement to be something like tort reform + remove the state line barrier.

About half the states already have tort reform and in none of them is their any evidence that it has reduced healthcare insurance premiums. Malpractice insurance premiums, yes.

I'm opposed to the removal of state line barriers for two reasons. The first is on constitutional grounds; registering insurance companies is a state issue and for the federal government to step in would be a violation of the 10th Amendment. Second, it would do nothing to lower rates. There is little if any incentive for me to buy insurance from a company not already doing business in my state, and even less incentive for them to sell a policy to me.

If I was at all a fascist there is one thing I’d like to see the government do: sever the connection between health insurance and employer. i.e. make it like car insurance. The user is the purchaser. Employers can’t offer it as part of your benefits package.

I have absolutely fantastic insurance through my employer as part of my compensation package. What you want to do is cut my income. Why should I be happy with that?

They should start with getting rid of all the Medicare fraud. I hate all the commercials - get your free stuff, Medicare will pay for it - from companies trying to make a buck off of Medicare.

I have absolutely fantastic insurance through my employer as part of my compensation package. What you want to do is cut my income. Why should I be happy with that?

It goes hand in hand with the tort reform and state lines stuff. If insurance is purchased by private citizens for their own use, it will be cheaper because the free market will be allowed to work.

Also, your “fantastic” health insurance is in leu of higher pay. When I was a COBOL contractor in the late 90’s, I had two income choices: $55 an hour, straight wage, or $50 an hour with company health care insurance. I chose the former and purchased major medical insurance dirt cheap.

Where I work now, the employees make far less money than me but have great benefits. Meanwhile, my higher pay would allow me to enjoy their same benefits and still pocket more money.

i.e. if health insurance is no longer offered by employers, they would have to find other ways to bring qualified people in. One of those would be higher wages, which they could afford to pay since they were not buying health insurance.