The Immorality of Guarantee Issue Health Insurance


While there are genuine debates about whether privatized health insurance or nationalized health insurance policies make more sense, there can be little doubt that guarantee issue policies represent the most immoral type of hybrid between the two. The argument that everyone should be covered by health insurance is an argument for a nationalized health care policy. By contrast, believers in privatized health insurance argue that a private system yields more efficient pricing and cost controls in the health care field. But with guarantee issue health insurance policies, an immoral situation is created that undermines the benefits of a privatized system by poorly and immorally implementing some of the edicts of a nationalized system.

Canada has a nationalized health care policy that many in the U.S. wish to emulate. While the idea of promising health care benefits to all citizens is appealing, there are downsides. For example, many in Canada are forced into long waiting lines to receive health care treatment. In fact, the Canadian courts just ruled that many laws which barred citizens from seeking alternative health insurance options were unconstitutional. If the health care system in Canada were capable of serving all citizens in a timely manner, there would be no need to seek alternate routes. The Canadian courts were correct to view laws limiting how people can spend their own money for their own health benefits as inconsistent with their fundamental freedoms. But barring those attempts by legislators to enforce a monopoly on nationalized health insurance, the premise of taxpayers supporting a nationalized health care system makes sense from an ethical point of view. In such a system all taxpayers are subject to the same benefits and burdens with respect to their existing tax structures.

Similarly, a privatized health insurance system like that in place in the United States makes sense from an ethical standpoint. While it can lead to tragedies where uninsured people contract illnesses and cannot pay for medical treatment, it treats people in a fundamentally fair manner. Everyone is free to make their own decisions, and pay or suffer the potential consequences. Those who wish to spend money to guarantee funds are available in case of medical emergencies are free to do so, and at a price that falls within their statistical risks.

But guarantee issue laws for health insurance companies are fundamentally unfair. They punish those who are willing to pay for insurance by saddling them with costs far beyond what they should owe statistically, or what they should owe in a nationalized system. Health insurance rates in guarantee issue states like New York and New Jersey are around 3 to 4 times what they are in other states. Is it fair for a consumer in New Jersey to pay three times as much for the same health insurance as they would in another state? Of course it isn't. These consumers have been unfairly placed into a statistical pool that isn't representative of their health care needs, and forced to pay far more for health insurance than their situation dictates. And they are forced into this situation precisely because lawmakers have chosen a terrible hybrid model that removes any pretense of fairness in pricing that exist in the more natural nationalized and privatized models.

As more and more people in the guarantee issue states become unable to afford health insurance, those states will be forced to answer for the fact that their policies have made them leaders in the numbers of uninsured. A new law called the Health Care Choice Act is being proposed to allow residents of one state to purchase health insurance from another. While legislators in guarantee issue states will oppose such laws, they'll have a hard time pretending they're doing so on behalf of their constituents who are actually paying for health insurance.

Rex Ryan maintains the website:

http://www.buyinsurancecheap.info







Related News



Capitol Insurance Companies Announces Board Appointments and ... - MarketWatch

Capitol Insurance Companies Announces Board Appointments and ...
MarketWatch -42 minutes ago
Kathleen A. McCarney joined Capitol Insurance Companies in 2003 as P&C Operations Manager, and was responsible for monitoring and ensuring our service ...

Unemployed? More help for you - CNNMoney.com

The Associated Press

Unemployed? More help for you
CNNMoney.com -3 hours ago
The average unemployment insurance benefit is $292 a week according to the Department of Labor. When you get it: Experts recommend filing for unemployment ...
Meltdown 101: Some tips on collecting unemploymentThe Associated Press
all 74 news articles

Insurance mandate and your health coverage - Examiner.com

Current World News

Insurance mandate and your health coverage
Examiner.com -57 minutes ago
by Traina Jackson-Clarke, Baltimore Health Insurance Examiner How would an insurance mandate effect you? Members of Congress have been working with the ...
Has the Health-Insurance Industry Buckled on Reform? Sort of, But ...BNET
CAHI Stands by Its Principles for Health Insurance ReformMarketWatch
Individual Insurance Mandate Comes into PlayGalen Institute
New York Times - U.S. News & World Report
all 391 news articles

MassMutual Announces Promotions for Two Co-Chief Operating Officers - MarketWatch

MassMutual Announces Promotions for Two Co-Chief Operating Officers
MarketWatch -5 hours ago
William F. Glavin Jr., Co-Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, US Insurance Group, MassMutual, has been appointed CEO of OppenheimerFunds, ...
MassMutual Life promotes COOsBizjournals.com
Mass Mutual promotes COOsInvestmentNews
OppenheimerFunds Names CEOMarkets Media (press release)
International Business Times - MarketWatch
all 35 news articles

Mass. AG says insurance company favors homeowners - Boston Globe

Mass. AG says insurance company favors homeowners
Boston Globe, United States -2 hours ago
BOSTON—State Attorney General Martha Coakley has asked for a review of Premier Insurance Company's new auto insurance rate, claiming the company is ...
AG Coakley alleges discrimination by Premier InsuranceBoston Herald
AG requests to review new insurance ratesTurn to 10.com
Massachusetts AG Wants Hearing on Insurance Company's Auto RatesInsurance Journal
all 9 news articles

Advocates fear children will lose health insurance - San Jose Mercury News

Advocates fear children will lose health insurance
San Jose Mercury News,  USA -4 hours ago
About 98 percent of children in Santa Cruz County have health insurance. The state's financial difficulties could hurt local efforts, Conner said, ...

GoHealth Insurance Partners With Online Health News Source ... - MarketWatch

GoHealth Insurance Partners With Online Health News Source ...
MarketWatch -7 hours ago
The online news syndicator also reports on breaking medical insurance news and trends in the insurance industry. In addition to breaking health news, ...


FDIC may exclude shortest-term loans from insurance plan: report - Reuters

FDIC may exclude shortest-term loans from insurance plan: report
Reuters -7 hours ago
Nov 21 (Reuters) - Federal Deposit Insurance Corp (FDIC) staffers are likely to recommend exclusion of the shortest-term loans from a $1.4 trillion ...
FDIC OKs backing for US bank debt, depositsInternational Herald Tribune
Need a job? Check out FDIC’s Atlanta officeAtlanta Journal Constitution
Small lenders criticise FDIC schemeFinancial Times
Bloomberg - Reuters
all 77 news articles

State Farm, Farmers to raise California homeowner insurance rates - Los Angeles Times

State Farm, Farmers to raise California homeowner insurance rates
Los Angeles Times, CA -14 hours ago
Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner's decision is denounced by some, but others say recent wildfires make increases reasonable. By Marc Lifsher Reporting ...
State Auditor Disputes 2006 Rate Cuts for Louisiana CitizensInsurance Journal
all 3 news articles

Meadowbrook Insurance Group, Inc. CEO to Present at FBR Capital ... - MarketWatch

Meadowbrook Insurance Group, Inc. CEO to Present at FBR Capital ...
MarketWatch -38 minutes ago
Mr. Cubbin's presentation to the conference will be available December 3, 2008, on Meadowbrook Insurance Group's corporate web site at www.meadowbrook.com. ...
URS to Present at the 2008 FBR Capital Markets Fall Investor ...Business Wire (press release)
Specialty Underwriters' Alliance to Present at 2008 FBR Capital ...MarketWatch
Coleman Cable, Inc. to Present At the 2008 FBR Capital Markets ...MarketWatch
MarketWatch
all 32 news articles