3 ms·

True. I don't think anyone would object to helping the 1% of people who are actually in that category. The problem is that interest groups hijack the programs

by mmmurf 18y ago

True. I don't think anyone would object to helping the 1% of people who are actually in that category. The problem is that interest groups hijack the programs in order to win handouts for those who don't really need the programs.

loumf 18y ago
Where does this 1% come from? As a back of the envelope calculation, I would guess that almost all senior citizens are unprofitable to insure -- that's way more than 1%. Even if I'm off by a lot, it's still way more than 1% -- and I haven't addressed the rest of the population.
- mmmurf 18y ago
  Only unprofitable if you decide that everyone deserves the latest, greatest, cutting-edge medical care. Healthcare prices have come way down in the past two decades, the issue is that nobody wants 1990 level care, which could be administered at a fraction of the price of delivering all of the latest advancements. The "healthcare costs are rising" meme is false. It's like saying "the price of supercomputers is rising". In non-inflation-adjusted dollars, the top-end supercomputer from IBM costs more than the top-end supercomputer from IBM cost 10 years ago, but the price per unit of computation has gone way down. Healthcare prices have done the same thing, but everyone wants the best possible at all times. (I want this too, but at least I try to appreciate that what I'm getting today is significantly better than 10 years ago)
- DabAsteroid 18y ago
  unprofitable to insure It is not possible for someone to be unprofitable to insure. Why do you think it could be? If you are finding your bets unprofitable, try changing the amounts that you are betting.
arockwell 18y ago
Take a look at a list of what is considered an uninsurable condition for personal health insurance. That alone would hit more than 1% of the population.
- mmmurf 18y ago
  Do you happen to have a list of these?
  - arockwell 18y ago
    I think it is state by state, but quite possibly varies from company to company. I found this list (which is similar to ones I've seen before), which is for Ohio: http://www.healthcarereform.ohio.gov/HCRDoc/RepresentativeListofUninsurableConditions.pdf http://www.healthcarereform.ohio.gov/HCRDoc/RepresentativeLi.... Some of the ones on the list are pretty shocking and many of them are hereditary.

by mmmurf 18y ago

loumf 18y ago

Where does this 1% come from? As a back of the envelope calculation, I would guess that almost all senior citizens are unprofitable to insure -- that's way more than 1%. Even if I'm off by a lot, it's still way more than 1% -- and I haven't addressed the rest of the population.

mmmurf 18y ago
Only unprofitable if you decide that everyone deserves the latest, greatest, cutting-edge medical care. Healthcare prices have come way down in the past two decades, the issue is that nobody wants 1990 level care, which could be administered at a fraction of the price of delivering all of the latest advancements. The "healthcare costs are rising" meme is false. It's like saying "the price of supercomputers is rising". In non-inflation-adjusted dollars, the top-end supercomputer from IBM costs more than the top-end supercomputer from IBM cost 10 years ago, but the price per unit of computation has gone way down. Healthcare prices have done the same thing, but everyone wants the best possible at all times. (I want this too, but at least I try to appreciate that what I'm getting today is significantly better than 10 years ago)
DabAsteroid 18y ago
unprofitable to insure It is not possible for someone to be unprofitable to insure. Why do you think it could be? If you are finding your bets unprofitable, try changing the amounts that you are betting.

arockwell 18y ago

Take a look at a list of what is considered an uninsurable condition for personal health insurance. That alone would hit more than 1% of the population.

mmmurf 18y ago
Do you happen to have a list of these?
- arockwell 18y ago
  I think it is state by state, but quite possibly varies from company to company. I found this list (which is similar to ones I've seen before), which is for Ohio: http://www.healthcarereform.ohio.gov/HCRDoc/RepresentativeListofUninsurableConditions.pdf http://www.healthcarereform.ohio.gov/HCRDoc/RepresentativeLi.... Some of the ones on the list are pretty shocking and many of them are hereditary.