Health care is different from any other service provided. The costs involved are often so astronomical, the lack of transparency in costs are so great and the inefficiency of a medically-ignorant/sick/disoriented/dying patient as a “consumer” are such that the free market works poorly if at all. Other industrialized countries have realized this and offer similar overall care compared with us (in most parameters) at about 50-67% of our cost. Those in the medical field, especially us doctors, want to be left alone by the “bureaucrats” (only government workers are bureaucrats, apparently, not those pencil-pushers in the private sector). But since we are the gateways for almost all costs – we decide what labs are ordered, what prescriptions are written, what patients are admitted and for how long, how often they are seen in clinic, what kind of studies they require — then there is something seriously wrong with our vaunted independent judgment if health care spending has gone from 8% of GDP in 1980 to 16% last year for minimal improvements in the most important health statistics.

And that is why the government is stepping in. The US resisted several attempts at national health care — under Truman, Johnson, Clinton. But we have finally showed that we need some supervision before we bankrupt the country. And finally – WC never answered the questions of how other countries with “socialized medicine” have such steep taxes and yet WE spend much more on health care than they do. Where does that money come from? More importantly, how much longer do we keep paying more and more for negligible improvements in care? In a few decades time, “socialized medicine” will be seen as unremarkable here as Medicare and Social Security are today.

How are you thinking it would benefit small business employers? Most ERISA plans are from larger businesses, in my experience.

So, while I could be playing roulette, that is a personal choice. I DO have the ability to ask my physician to charge me and not the insurance for whatever procedures I consider a necessity vs them, especially if I know it isn’t covered.
If I should be dropped it will hopefully be upon maxing my limit. There is no panacea, what is it that people don’t get? No system is infallible and some are more fallible than others. (UK Britain, HI, even Sweden is screwing people over for all the taxes they pay)

That is the beauty of my current care vs. government control.

Nothing is perfect and I have portability as well on this policy.

Health insurance needs to be more like other types of insurance in that regard – one insures against the unexpected big ticket items. The known expenses are what you budget for, not what you should hope your coworkers will help you out with. What’s next, grocery insurance for diet coke and cheetos? My fat neighbor would love that. Gasoline insurance? I drive a big gas guzzling muscle car, so my next fill up is on you.

BTW, You’re really not insurable in the private market either, WC!