>>>Loosen insurance regulations? And let the market go to work?
>>>
>>>I thought that everyone now agrees that you unregulated capitalism leads to disasters.
>>
>>Tear down that straw man. De-regulation != unregulated
>>
>>>Insurance companies should be highly regulated to offer quality and basic care, cannot refuse someone on his/her medical history. The market is not able or not willing to do that as history has shown. On their turn insurance companies could force pharmacies to lower their prices or else search for cheaper alternatives.
>>
>>The over-regulation of our insurance industry has a direct affect on reducing competition to only the biggest of the big boys. For Christs sake, I, a supposedly free individual, am not allowed to purchase insurance from an out of state carrier. That too much regulation.
>
>Our healthcare system has very tight regulation in terms of quality of care, coverage and availability to anyone. This is exactly what is wrong with your current system. This is not over-regulation... it is the bare minimum you'd need to do to improve the current system. Even for our small country there are dozens of insurance companies so, I don't see why this would lead to only a few players.

>In fact it would increase competition because the basic insurances are much more comparable to eachother, leading to customers shopping for the cheapest. Up here insurance companies offer multiple level of coverage. It also presures insurance companies to do something about prevention, cutting costs by eliminating excessive margins flowing into pockets where it does not belong.

We have a tax code which offers breaks to employers who provide insurance but does not offer the same to the individual or self-employed. This ties health insurance to employment and people to their jobs for fear of losing coverage. We have no inter-state competition, by law. We have different minimum levels, regulations and legal climates state-by-state. We have a Medicare system enforcing price controls and driving up costs for everyone else. These factors have led us to a situation where everything, including a quick check-up must be covered by a 3rd party payor and the costs are hidden from the individual. This has all led to the big boys being the only ones who can "compete". We need to loosen the restrictions to enable more players. More players will create more diversity in plans...not everyone needs or wants or should be required to pay for "comprehensive" coverage.

>>>If the government defines the rules under which the insurancecompanies can operate in this market, then we (you) are a giant step in the right direction. Then the government does not have to act as an insurance company, merele settign the rules.
>
>>The rules need improvement.
>
>On that we agree. But you have to start somewhere

I agree. Lets start with something that has been proven to lower costs and encourage people into the health profession...Tort reform. We'll build from there.