Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Better to lay off a few employees in the insurance industry than several more as premiums continue to go up (my international PLC I used to work for laid off 10% of the workforce because of the pension crisis and offshoring to India, which could happen to you anyway DAR). If it means more people could actually work for longer. If it means that more people will be able to change jobs because they are not worried about losing their medical insurance, then I am all for it. Being laid off is the best thing that ever happened to me.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo But those are big ifs. Sadly they are not talking about a proper socialised medicine structure, they are talking about a choices model.
Originally Posted By DAR I don't work in the health insurance industry. I work in the life insurance. And trust me not everyone is deserving of life insurance. And my company didn't lay anyone off they put on a brief hiring freeze last year. However they just hired 80 people out of 1000 in our customer service area.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan If it means that more people will be able to change jobs because they are not worried about losing their medical insurance, then I am all for it.<< This a huge, huge "plus" that is seldom talked about. Right now, we're in a time where people are trying to hang on to what they've got. Not a whole lot of risk-taking going on now. But in better economic times, how many people stay in a career they hate, or don't try that innovatve idea they have because they have a family and can't go without the medical benefits? A public option makes it easier for people to consider starting a new business, a new career, which creates more jobs, impacts local economies -- all the stuff Republicans are always reminding us about small businesses. A public option would remove an impediment to innovation and capitalism.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan And would the private insurance industry have to change? You bet. They'd have to be competitive. They'd have to make their service and prices so good that a public option would seem like a joke. Companies that provide health insurance to their employees wind up paying less, meaning less layoffs, more profits, happier workers. I don't think we should build public health policy based on which industries' structures won't be affected. The GOP is being very protectionist, wanting to maintain the status quo for an industry that has been lining their pockets. That's understandable, but voters, if they can stop being distracted by scare tactics, can have the final say.
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< At the expense of the private option >>> DAR, I have to ask again, where are you getting this?
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< I work in the life insurance. And trust me not everyone is deserving of life insurance. >>> And more to the point, not everyone needs life insurance. In fact, I'd say that far fewer than half the people need life insurance. Plus, of those that need it and can't get it (or, as we see stated see above by someone that works for a life insurance company, doesn't "deserve" it), it's not going to kill them or shorten their life. Health care, in some shape or size, is a basic need that everyone has as fundamentally as food or shelter.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***or, as we see stated see above by someone that works for a life insurance company, doesn't "deserve" it*** Yes, a very interesting choice of words. Personally, I'd say many folks working in that "insurance" racket don't deserve their jobs. Not everyone of course, just some of them. ***<< What it seems to me is that a public option is one of several options that "they" want to make available>> At the expense of the private option*** You haven't explained how yet, you just keep claiming this as though it's fact. Do you actually HAVE any facts, or are you just making things up? Here's some food for thought. How have public libraries harmed book sellers? Has public transportation harmed the car industry? Are public schools threatening the existence of prestigious preparatory schools? All these are "public options". Not as high quality, perhaps, as the alternative, but largely free or low cost and a decent alternate choice if you need one. More to the point, though, please show me the evidence, DAR, that such currently existing "public options" like Medicare and the Veterans Administration have harmed the insurance industry.
