Actually, one of my main objections to Medicare is the unbelievable government interference with the ability to contract.
When you became eligible for Medicare, you automatically became ineligible for any other kind of insurance in the US. No company is even allowed to write you a policy once you are over the age of 65 unless it’s in the Medicare framework.
There is no private insurance after 65 in the traditional sense. There is privately managed care, via Part C, or supplemental policies that pick up what Part B doesn’t cover, but everything runs under the Medicare umbrella and regulations.
We agree-privatizing would open options and lower prices-as it is now, the rate of fraud and abuse is appalling-honest competition would stop that s*** cold...
Most of my co-workers-boomers all-are in the same boat and bitch about it, too-we are all working and doing the stuff any sensible individual does all by their little self-an option for catastrophic coverage, rather than one size fits all would be just great for those of us who work...