Single Payer System

[midwestbroker]

Just in case you start talking to someone who thinks a single payer system (like some Dems) want, tell them this:

There are approx 281,000,000 people in the US

One doctor visit a year would equal over 769,000 claims per day

In 2005, for every 1000 people there were 119 hospital in patient stays, or 11.9%. That would equal over 91,000 claims per day.

So far we are at about 860,000 claims per day. That does not include ER room visits (387 per 1000), outpatient services, specialist visits, lab services, etc.

How would any company or our government handle that may claims? Insurance companies already do that and they are far smaller then the government, and they have trouble.

 

[J.R.]

Just in case you start talking to someone who thinks a single payer system (like some Dems) want, tell them this:

There are approx 281,000,000 people in the US

One doctor visit a year would equal over 769,000 claims per day

In 2005, for every 1000 people there were 119 hospital in patient stays, or 11.9%. That would equal over 91,000 claims per day.

So far we are at about 860,000 claims per day. That does not include ER room visits (387 per 1000), outpatient services, specialist visits, lab services, etc.

How would any company or our government handle that may claims? Insurance companies already do that and they are far smaller then the government, and they have trouble.

Where did you get the statistics from regarding claims? I see where you are going with this, but I must say that the 860,000 claims per day statement does not add to the rebuttal. I like the way your mind works though

 

[midwestbroker]

Stats were from the Kaiser Foundation.

I think people do not realize what it takes to make a plan work. Agents to explain the plan, provider relations to create networks, customer service agents to answer questions, patient services to coordinate treatments / hospital discharges, claims department, etc.

And why stop with health care, why not take on the P&C side? Let's go all out stupid on this. Government auto and home insurance. After all, you are required to have auto coverage.

And let's not stop there! GM and Ford are both having financial difficulty, so let the government take over. Since they are already going to be insuring the vehicles, why not build them!

I could keep going but I think most would get the point.

Creating a single payer system is just a fancy word for really big HMO.

 

[SME]

When a client brings up the singel payer system my reponse is:

Me: Have you been to the DMV lately?
Client: Yes
Me: Do you really want them in charge of your healthcare?

Most clients drop the topic after this.

 

[midwestbroker]

One of my fav quotes:

National Health Care

The compassion of the IRS
The efficiency of the Postal Service
All at Pentagon Prices

 

[somarco]

Show me a place where SP works.

No one can.

Even Medicare falls WAY short, so you don't have to look beyond our borders.

 

[midwestbroker]

The only system that I know of that would bare any resemblance to a SP system is Medicaid, since you can have people of all ages on it.

That is only a small portion of the population and look how well that is ran. Poorly ran, very limited providers, and going broke.