With Regulation, Is a Public Option Necessary? - T.R. Reid

[hiragana3]

日本語の字幕をお願いします。

[NeedsEvidence]

Good point made by the speaker.

[brunodemoura]

So... what about all those people who can't afford health insurance?

[shadetail]

It would become much more affordable than it is now so it shouldn't be this much of a problem.

[brunodemoura]

Why is it? Will government control the value of health insurance plans?

Explain to me. Because it will kill the free market principle, and It makes no sense at all.

If the government just regulates them, the health insurance costs will get higher.

[shadetail]

No, because all the insurance companies would still be competing again other insurance companies that would have to comply to the same regulations. This can include profit caps which would make more of the money made be locked into the business which would lead to better coverage or cheaper rates. It all depends on the kinds of regulations.

You are acting as though having the market being completely free from regulation is best for the health of the people when I haven't seen evidence of this.

[brunodemoura]

No... We don't have any guarantee that competition helps to decrease the health insure prices. If these companies are making profit, they have no reason to reduce their prices.

The poor families cannot count on this. So that's why I think the public option is a good thing. The government have to guarantee an affordable option.

[shadetail]

But having a government options would make it a lot more difficult to have diversity in the plans and I think that is a problem.

The plan that the person in the video was mentioning was trying to make regulations to make health insurance organizations non-profit. In this case there should always be affordable options that are good but then there can still be more diversity within your selection.

[JennyFarlopez]

European countries have BOTH regulation & public option. There is no point in regulation if there's still people who can't afford a medical insurance.

[gwailogavin]

yeah I don't really get what this guy is on about... Japan has a public option, regulation, and health insurance here STILL sucks...

[trendy09]

Its not great but its ok, I think. Sucks seems too strong. Japan's problem is, of course, the bureaucracy; and also public health insurance is broken down to the city level which massively increases admin costs while decreasing ease of use.

[songojin]

Do a search for "Sick Around the World". It's a documentary he did for PBS about diff health care around the world, and Japan is in there. From what I saw, you guys have it a ton better than the US.

[gwailogavin]

Yes, admittedly it is quite a bit better than the US. But I'm coming from Ontario, which is better 10 times again, so everything is relative. I'd say trendy09 has it spot on.

[migkillertwo]

YAY! MORE GUNS!

[Mastikator]

Yes, if you want lower quality and higher price, then regulation isn't enough. It gets you far, evidently, but that's just not enough.