Comments on: The best ideas on health care I've heard so far

By: Mike Kingsley

Mike Kingsley — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 01:55:55 +0000

Thanks for the link. It’s true about the employer sponsored plans issue. Being self employed and/or working for companies where I did not receive health insurance – and this was before the downturn where companies were getting rid of insurance – I was already used to finding health insurance on my own. I think with more and more people getting jobs where health insurance is much less or non-existant can actually help turn the tide on that one. The whole state line thing is one reason that Apple never got a group insurance package for the Apple Consultants Network which I belong to. Instead the best they could come up with is an agency we could call to help us find local plans (which I could and did already do myself online) It’s also too bad that nothing up until now has been done in the state. There were rumblings of a Utah ultra-small business group plan and/or a plan through the SLC Chamber of Commerce.

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 00:36:29 +0000

Sorry about the link. Should be fixed now. Let me know what you think of the article.I see what you mean about red tape. Perhaps the goal of the bill should be to remove the red tape instead of create more of it. :)I just read the book What Would Google Do by Jeff Jarvis (great read) and I think there could be a great opportunity for a national, online health insurer to figure out the logistics and make a customizable plan for people – available anywhere and without the same overhead as other insurance companies.

By: Mike Kingsley

Mike Kingsley — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 23:42:55 +0000

The link isen’t working for me.Surely not complicated in theory, but like Talyn stated some states have different requirements than others and probably a lot of the companies would not _want_ to compete if some of these things are in place. It just seems to me (being a cynic) like there would be too much red tape to cut through to allow opening this in a perfect world. But that’s why I was wondering if the link had more info on how it could be done efficiently.

By: Dave

Dave — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 23:17:26 +0000

I’m not sure how it would be complicated. Please explain your thinking as I’m curious as to what you meant. Seems like this could be a golden opportunity for an online-based health insurance company.Not sure if he has more info. All I’ve read is the article I linked to. If you find more, will you post a comment?

By: Mike Kingsley

Mike Kingsley — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 22:38:33 +0000

Yeah I’m afraid the state competition thing would be considered too “complicated” to actually implement, even though I am all for it. I also worry when I travel how good my insurance will cover in other states. Does that guy have more info on how to implement across state line competition?