Largest health insurer on Colorado exchange collapses

[Ridge]

I think that the much bigger problem is that with current health "insurance," people are completely insulated from the actual price of procedures and don't/can't price shop. Voluntary medical procedures like lasik and plastic surgery are for sure run on a for profit basis and the prices have been dropping while procedures have been getting better.

I wish I could remember the website, but there is a place where you can submit a procedure you need doing, and not only do they price shop for you, but actually pay you to go to the places that are less expensive. The payment comes directly from your provider, who is enthusiastic about people not blindly spending money that mostly falls to the provider.

That is an interesting concept. If you can find that site again, please share.

Hurt them how? Profit motive and market competition tends to increase quality and reduce prices. Just look at the technology market and imagine the pieces of crap you'd have and the high prices you'd pay if it weren't for competition.

When it's run by the government, it won't be cheap, won't be efficient, and the "customer" value will be weighed against the tax dollars they can bring in vs. how much their care will cost. Wife's godmother lived in Canada and had cancer. They just ran her around in circles and made her wait until she died. The same thing will happen here if we let it.

Insurance isn't like car shopping. Can you ever say that you went to your insurance and said "Well this other company will do the procedure and only cost me $xxxx" and have them price match? No, it doesn't happen. Because they all work together and fix prices, or lock you in to a network of practitioners so that you can't shop around.