How can the cost of health insurance be lowered?

Question

The high cost of health insurance is preventing millions from getting the proper healthcare. How can we lower the cost of health insurance so more people can afford it?

Answer 1

By electing Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton President so she can pass National Healthcare.

Answer 2

Well, when people are getting One Hundred and Twenty Five billion dollars a year from health care companies it's not surprising that health insurance costs are skyrocketing. These people are making obscene profits and spend their days figuring out how to deny people the needed lifesaving medical treatment they need. I hope since the other party is in power now that the health insurance industry will face some serious regulation.

Answer 3

One thing that could affect costs for men is to base premiums on usage by demographics. As more women and older Americans utilize health care, the cost is driven upwards for all unless the insurer uses demographic usage to base costs. That is, those who utilize medical care less often are made to share insurance costs with those who utilize it more often.
Some insurance companies are understanding this and adjusting their policy costs to reflect this difference but those who would then be asked to pay more for their policy are crying "unfair" but still the cost of medical care is outrageous, primarily due to insurance costs for medical personnel and facilities for malpractice coverage coupled with the costs extensive and often unnecessary procedures/tests that is passed on to all consumers to facilitate a rebuttal of malpractice.

Using demographics for health insurance premiums much like auto insurance together with a reduction in the frivolous lawsuits filed against medical personnel could lower costs, which would then be passed on to consumers.

Another area that needs to be explored is medical costs based on whether the patient has insurance. I have heard that there are many doctors/hospitals that will increase medical costs when the patient is covered to make up for those who do not pay or are uninsured. If true, this is fraud which drives premiums upward. While all should pay for their care, forcing others to pay for the costs of a few is unjustifiable.

Answer 4

The Government needs to put a cap on what hospitals can charge for procedures and incidentals, did you know hospitals charge you individually for each band-aid, 2x2 pad, etc.? Sometimes $2-$5 each! There also needs to be some effort to control the price of medications, it is outrageous that the EXACT same American companies that charge Americans outrageous prices for meds, sell these same drugs in other countries for up to 50% less! I also think that the Government should work with private insurance companies to provide health coverage for the "working poor" (those too poor to buy insurance yet make too much to receive medicaid) by having them pay monthly premiums on a sliding scale. This would cut down on unpaid ER bills,for illnesses that could have been taken care of with a less costly Doctor office visit. Less taxpayer money would go to paying these hospital bills and the hospitals could bring down prices. I think electing Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama could be a step in the right direction.

Answer 5

Cap what lawyers and their clients get in lawsuits.
Work with the insurance companies to include more people in a pool sort of thing.
Reduce the cost of drugs from pharmaseutical companies. Get them wherever necessary and are to US standards.
Them that can do pay more them that can't pay less. There should always be a small co-pay.

Answer 6

By NOT voting for Hillary Rotten Clinton. That would be the absolute worst thing we could do.

Deporting the 20 million illegal aliens that are here sucking us dry. Supply and Demand. American citizens have to pay for themselves AND the illegal invaders. Reducing the demand for FREE medical services by 20 million increases the available SUPPLY.

The rise in health care costs can be directly correlated with the rise in illegal immigration

Answer 7

I am a doctor. If the Govt. would reduce 1)silly redundant administrative requirements, 2) Reduce the amounts. Attorneys can get from lawsuits, 3) On frivolous lawsuits(determined by the judges and a panel of laypersons) use the 3 strikes and you are out for the attorneys! after 3 frivolous suits they become disbarred. 4) Hospitals :quit charging more for people with no insurance! 5) we then can cut our fees by 40%.

Answer 8

They can start by lowering the CEO wages and benefits. Then we can have a national health insur that will have a cap on such outragious costs.m Example,,,a certain pill in the US costs 4.30 each....Same pill, same maker, same dose costs 1.26 in Canada. Politics my man,,,just politics.

Answer 9

Some ideas - medical liablility reform, fair prices for meds from pharmaceutical companies, ID cards so that only US citizens partake in indigent medical care, oversight for some of the gold-plated prices overcharged by hospitals.

Answer 10

Medical Liability Reform. In short, put a cap on frivolous lawsuits. This wil keep doctors in practice and keep ambulance chasers (like John Edwards, for example) from getting filthy rich off of other people's misery.

Answer 11

Medicare recipients are the most satisfied of ANY health insurance recipient. It's also very inexpensive.

Take all the profit, perks, exec salaries and other costs related to being a private corporation out.

In other words, just expand Medicare to cover everyone.