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dlssmith · #28 04-11-2011, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Local2ED

Now thats really funny. It's not a story about privatization but medicare taken over by private company's

Of course they'll be regulated, by the lobbiest pushing for higher rates

I consider myself a libertarian if detail is needed, and I work in the insurance industry (not health lines), for a private company, dealing with government regulators both state and fed. The regulation of insurers isn't perfect but it's necessary and fairly effective. The question about medicare and healthcare coverage in general is whether it is better managed as part of a government bureaucracy or by private companies. We have to pay either way.

If medicare becomes the only healthcare buyer - a single payer system as some want, then the regulation will be congressional only. If private companies insure health risks in a multi payor system spread across all states, the spread itself becomes a regulator of sorts. This is how the property and casualty insurance business works today - though not perfect - most would judge it to be equitable.

There are few out there that believe congress is a good regulator, of almost anything. In fact, I propose that government should be smaller, not as a knee jerk reaction to endless spending and taxing, or some social dogma perspective, but because something as big as the federal system cannot be managed or regulated by 535 people elected to 2 and 6 year terms. At what point does every working productive person in the country have their own bureaucrat? Someone to manage your affairs...make sure you don't get screwed by the other guy...and while you're at it, why not take on a few wards too.

And, yes, we utilize lobbyists in the insurance industry. They are our access point to legislators. They consolidate the interests of the like-minded in order to present those interests to legislators that cannot possibly listen to the rabble of their millions of constituents. It's not a perfect system, but it's the one we have - but you wish it bigger at your own peril.

Paul Ryan makes important points about a lot of things and no, he won't get it all, but he's at least starting a discussion that has been avoided for most of the century.