Quote:
Originally Posted by Hedons
The government does not and cannot compete with the private sector due to it's inherent inefficiencies (see article).
Picture this scenario...
Government Option becomes law... system chugs along for a few years, everything appears peachy to those with the rose colored glasses. As the smoke begins to clear and the mirrors eventually fall and break, the reality seeps through that the money isn't there to support this program. The programs runs into the red the debt begins to pile on and you're left with options such as raising taxes, lowering the quality of service, increasing the inflation rate, etc... not good options. But since the masses already have their government option you can't go taking that away. The only way to keep the government option afloat and able to compete with the private sector is to subsidize it and you can guess where that money will come from.
Does that type of sound like competition?
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....if the public option lowers quality of service people wouldn't choose it. If private institutions offered similar coverage for less, people would choose that. If taxes are raised too high, people wouldn't be able to afford it. this example, imho, fails.
You're using a strawman here. This is indeed a possibility. But so are countless possible ways in which this program will succeed.
And if "the masses" have health insurance at an affordable rate, if the private sector wishes to compete, they can lower their prices. If they don't want to, then fuck the private sector. I don't need my jalapeno cheedar cheese flown in from Italy. Government cheese is just fine, thank you. Of course there are still plenty of rich people who think the flown in cheese tastes better. They'll always have "platinum" plans if you want it.
What you are saying is that if the public option is appealing, people might choose it! And if people choose it, there will be debt!
As opposed to private institutions which people CANNOT choose (they choose the people), and cause people who DO choose it to go INTO debt.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hedons
Again, a subsidized government option is not free market competition.
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Again, I think that's b.s.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hedons
A government option has unlimited resources to keep it afloat regardless of it's gross and inherent inefficiencies . These unlimited resources include raising taxes, lowering the quality of service, increasing inflation, etc.
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So do private institutions. Namely denying service for "preexisting conditions," cherrypicking who they cover, refusing "experimental" treatment, and price gauging.
And goddamnit, I'll take a higher tax rate if millions of people can get chemo.
Look, if the private sector of insurance would cover everyone regardless, I would see no need for any of this. The basic point is that healthcare should NOT be something denied to people because of how many bills they have in their wallet. And until I hear an alternate "private" plan that forces insurance companies to 1)cover everyone, 2) be affordable to everyone, and 3) remove restrictions, go go public option!