What do you think would happen if health insurance became outlawed?

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   andrew savageposted 11 years ago

   What do you think would happen if health insurance became outlawed?
   
   Pertaining insurance companies, I want to know what regular people think about the health industry, or more properly: the Health Service sector of society. Would it be easier for doctors, and society, to weed out insurance fraud, and cut the costs of private, public/government spending? What other industries or services would see an increase, or decrease, in revenue? How would this effect our future generations, and especially those alive now? Would the government, or private lawyers, step in during events such as malpractice?
   Please carefully think such a scenario over prior to responding.

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   Larry Wallposted 11 years ago

   Without health insurance, there would be no health care, unless health care was nationalized, which would take the incentive away from doctors knowing that years of extra education for a specialty was not going to produce some financial reward.
   
   I had colon surgery in 2012. The retail cost was $100,000 plus. Insurance brought the cost down to about $60,000. If the cost had been only $30,000, I would have been force to take out a loan to pay for it and pay interest on the loan. For the record, I was in the ER for a day, had numerous x-rays, an MRI and cat scan, spent seven days in intensive care, seven days in a regular room, took a ton of antibiotics and pain killers and was being fed nutrients through an IV. It was also a private room. I had my regular doctor, the surgeon and the gastroenterologist checking on me and needed an anesthesiologist involved in the process. Rightnow, being 61 and unemployed I would gladly work for insurance without pay instead of having to deal with the wannabe insurance that i am forced to buy because of pre-existing conditions. I have done a hub about this you may want to check out.

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      andrew savageposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      This seemed like a very good answer when I first read it, nonetheless I gave it a couple days to lull over in the background and consider you answer. While it is a decent answer... There are many grey areas that I cannot let stand without question. W

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      Larry Wallposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I can understand, but this was a response to a question and not a fully researched hub. Tell me your gray areas and I will be happy to try and address them.

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   sweetie1posted 11 years ago

   In countries where there is not much health Insurance like India, a big medical treatment can leave a family broke. Even though we have Medical Insurances but only 4 or 5% are insured because no one wants to pay on yearly basis. And to talk about nationalized health service, we have that too but everyone knows how bad shape that is usually in and well doctors are so over worked there. I have seen a doctor treating more than 200 patients a day so he gives just one or two minutes to a patient. Thats why nearly everyone goes in private sector for operations and other treatments. It might bring the cost of treatment down if there is no insurance but even the down cost would be many times higher than what you pay with the insurance. ofcourse if hospitals are not paid enough then they definitely would bring down the level of service and treatment ( which none of us want) and death rate would increase. The first effect on future generation would be probably many wont be born or born dead as  hospitals in govt sectors dont invest so much in hospitals as private hospitals do.

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      andrew savageposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Do you think that their is a likelihood of medical costs being driven up by artificial intervention such as greed by insurance companies, medical supply manufacturers, etcetera?

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      Larry Wallposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Retail costs of health care are being driven up because insurance pays less and less. We have to find a common ground or method for insurance companies to come up with reasonable reimbursements and help doctors develop reasonable rates.

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   tamarawilhiteposted 11 years ago

   Medical costs were lower before insurance AND before government involvement. We'd see costs fall due to competition, as costs for laser eye surgery and cosmetic surgery have fallen in their free market niche of the medical field.
   Malpractice needs to be reined in. Medical award caps should be high, but capping pain and suffering would save us all a fortune. Doctors are sued for things they did not cause, because the loser pays nothing and potentially hits the lottery. Shifting to a loser pays would reduce the number of frivolous malpractice suits that cost doctors tens of thousands of dollars in malpractice insurance each year, increasing costs for the rest of us.

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      Larry Wallposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      'd like to know what you mean before insurance. I am 62, and have been covered by some type of insurance all of my life. You are not going to end malpractice suits. In my state to sue a doctor to have to go before a medical board composed of doctors.

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