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Dr. Gratzer:
“People would then get coverage directly or through their church, union or trade association.”
So, those organizations are going to be in the healthcare management business? Or are these just new groups that can purchase group policies? Can’t he get insurance now through the AMA, if he is a member? What if you don’t belong to any of those groups? Are you going to be forced to join a church to get affordable healthcare? Do you start shopping churches based on their healthcare premiums? Maybe you’ll need to convert to Muslim or Judaism just to be able to afford healthcare for your family. Personally I’d go with the Jews, they know how to bargain.
“Envisioning a vibrant health-care sector, McCain proposes more competition among health-insurance companies and less regulation of insurance markets.”
So our healthcare crisis is created by too little competition between insurance companies? He must then assume that insurance companies are raking in millions of excess profits because they are acting as trusts? That blotted insurance premiums, not system prices, are driving costs. So he also must believe that by getting the market to force insurance companies to lower premiums we will have affordable care. I look forward to this fantasy happening because it will mean that insurance companies are going to be forced to act on doctors, hospitals, device builders and drug companies to reduce their prices. It will also mean that insurance companies will need to reduce patient utilization. Is Doctor Gretzer going to be happy with an insurance company(s) negotiating his lower reimbursments? And if one insurance company proposes lower reimbursements to him is he not going to sign with another who will pay him more? Competition works both ways.
“He also supports a focus on paying for outcomes, not treatments, within Medicare”
Notice this only applys to Medicare, not doctors. “Hey doc, I’m still sick after your treatment – do I get my money back?”
“increased competition among providers and greater pricing transparency.”
How does Dr. Gratzer see himself competing on price and price transparency? Is he going to have a two-for-one sale?
Just look what happens every time government de-regulates an industry – chaos and thievery.