Regarding the Post Below...

Some might wonder how, in the absence of "groups", people could get varying levels of service in their health care plan. First of all, you know that the insurance companies would adapt to the "no group" reform to find ways to be profitable. That's capitalism--adapt and create!

One thought would be that the company takes an "every policy holder" baseline, which is their cheapest insurance: catastrophic with a high deductable. If the risk pool for this insurance is every policy holder they have, this should be extremely inexpensive. As the deductable gets smaller (another option the company offers), the price goes up. As a person starts to add from the menu of options (drug benefits, maternity care, etc.) the price goes up. But, it is all spread across a "risk pool" that includes every person insured by the company who is purchasing a particular benefit (with the baseline price still based on the catastrophic coverage for everyone).

Imagine the competition this would create for your insurance dollars. Imagine how low the prices would be for young, healthy single people who every insurance company would want in their plans because having them is money in the bank (they are, after all, young and healthy and are great risks).

The other area where this could create competition is this: if people are buying from a menu, many will choose to forego insurance payment for check-ups and routine tests. It will become reasonable to pay for these things out-of-pocket rather than pay a higher premium for something seldom used. Therefore, some smart doctors and nurses will doubtlessly create neighborhood clinics specializing in cash-payment check-ups and testing. Competition will be created that will lower the prices, and increase the services. Think "veterinarian". We might even find ourselves in a situation where the "house call" returns, either by doctors, or nurse practitioners.

Two things have to change for these things to become a reality: A mandated end to the business model of "groups" (or "pools"). And, the ability for insurance companies to sell insurance across state lines (not only does this increase competition and lower prices, but it's a bone to the insurance companies because it allows them to create a larger customer base, which means a larger risk pool).