Except for the fact that I can change insurance companies and drop them at my peril a lot easier than I can change govt.

Are those done that often? Thought that was only on procedures deemed experimental or words to that effect?

That is a pre-existing condition thing, isn't it? If I bought a new car and wanted insurance, no problem. OTOH, if I bought a used car, they would want to make sure that there were no issues with the car like say maybe the windshield is cracked or the driver's door is missing, etc, etc.

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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

That article raises some disturbing issues, but her article describes things that I can't find in the bill. For example, she talks about a "meaningful user" of the information technology created under the bill. My computer doesn't find that phrase anywhere in the bill. I am not saying it's not there, the bill is hundreds of pages long, but I don't know what to make of her article when I can't find the provisions she finds so troublesome.

Not true. People in countries with govt health plans have successfully challenged the govt. Or you can always opt out and go with a private plan.

Doesn't matter to me if it's the govt or some private insurance company bureaucrat making those decisions for me. In fact I think I prefer the govt since they're less hell-bent on eliminating every buck out of patient's care.

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

You can opt-out of private insurance from one company and go with another. Or several.

With the government, you have like, one government to choose from, which kind of limits the potential for competition.

Not really. I explained this in one of the other threads.

No, unless private insurance companies are banned (which I don't think will happen) govt just adds to the competition. It doesn't replace it.

__________________
2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

Yes really, I explained it above.

No, the government does not add to competition when it actively engages in business. It is the antithesis of competition because it both regulates and directs.

That's what we call a stacked deck.

No you didn't explain it. I did. I can opt out of my employer's group plan and the only thing I will gain from that is having fewer benefits and much higher premiums. If there's a govt plan at least that could be an affordable and attractive alternative. But currently there's none. The whole insurance industry is dominated by just a few players that enslave most people to their employer's group plan. There's very little competition.

__________________
2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

Yes I did explain you big meanie, so there!

There is a lot of competition, shop for it.

Why am I not surprised. I'd rather private enterprise because I can find another entity easier than I can find another govt. Also, they have proven to be more efficient than govt. Somehow, a restaurant seems to have better food than a mess hall. Yes, I know it doesn't have to be that way but it almost always is.

__________________
01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

You mean like it adds to my retirement plan "options"? With that Ponzi scheme that nobody else can legally run? The one that I "opted in" to? Yep. Sure gives the competition a run for their money. That is probably why they say "Don't steal. The govt hates competition."

__________________
01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

Bad example. You can't compete with Social Security because Social Security requires people to pay in with no assurance that they will ever see a dime. The contributions from those who die young help fund payments to those who live longer. It is a fantastic system. One of the greatest ever devised. I doubt that any other single system has prevented more poverty than has Social Security.

The govt assured me that we will see money when I retire.

At the time of conception, maybe, They had 20+ workers to 1 retiree. Today, nowheres close. IIRC, it was like 5 to 1. If we ran such a scheme, what do you think will happen to us from a legal perspective? I also see it as another slush fund for politicians. Also, it is something we are going to have to bail out. There are already rumblings of insolvency.

__________________
01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

Only if you survive, which I'm sure you will.I believe that it is on its way to insolvency and will require adjustments. It is such a popular and successful system, I predict that the necessary changes will be made.

I intend to but I don't think I will depend on it. In fact, my plans discount it. If it is still solvent, I win. If not, I didn't lean on it.

You think the ratio of workers changing from 22:1 down to 5:1 is going to need adjustment? I think that word is an understatement of huge magnitude.

OF course they will fix it. It only takes money. Besides, do you think that govt will allow such a huge slush fund to go down? Where do you think they can get such a popular slush fund?

__________________
01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

No there isn't. Even McCain acknowledged that. That's why he wanted do away with employer-funded health insurance and give people tax credits to get their own including from out of state which is supposedly not possible today. Though far from my favorite, I think even his proposal was better than what we have today. Ideally I'd like to do away with the insurance industry completely and just expand Medicare for everyone. Publicly funded, but privately administered, similar to what they have in Japan.

__________________
2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL