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Originally Posted by strandinthewind
I was talking about state sponsored health care, not private ins.
I think the HMO system has had successess, but for the most part has failed. I am not in an HMO nor do I want to be. Interestingly, I am in a Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO and I think it runs great. Rx drugs are $5 to $10 each time and I can choose the brand name one. Each doctor's visit is $25 and the choice of doctors is far greater than the HMO choice. My portion of the premiums are $48.90 per month. All ER visits are free to me no matter if the hospital is a PPO. I am unsure how I could do better than that. Moreover, BCBS widely offers my plan in its other companies (there are many BCBS's). If I leave my job, under Federal law (COBRA) I, like anyone else, can continue this health care coverage for a year or two (I am uncertain as to the exact amount of time). I can then join a private group for about $100 a month. The COBRA provision also allows, I think (its been awhile) you to join one while still covered under another so as to avoid the one year pre-existing exceptions most plans have. So, the private coverage is out there.
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Foul. Your employer has the best coverage, the "Gold Standard" if you will, of health care. What kind of beneifts do you think the folks at Wal Mart are getting?
COBRA is sure a nice idea. However, how many unemployed folks do you think can afford to pay the full premium of their insurance each month? Maybe if they live in a box.
HMO's were the beginning of the end.