Is there any reason a not for profit health insurance company couldn't be formed?

[NJmaverick]

Most not for profit hospitals were formed when determined groups of citizens got together to fill a need. Why can't the same be done with health insurance? Why allow Liberman or the GOP to stop what we can do for ourselves?

[NJmaverick]

1. lol! Unrec for not for profit. Now I know freeper trolls are controlling the unreccs

[liberal N proud]

2. Check out this site...

Alliance for Advancing Nonprofit Health Care is the nation's voice for nonprofit hospitals, health plans, and other health care organizations serving communities, not stockholders

Incorporated in mid 2003, the Alliance's sole purpose is to protect and enhance the abilities of nonprofit health care organizations to serve society and their individual communities. Through research, public education, and advocacy, the Alliance seeks to provide a strong, cohesive and persistent "voice" for a wide range of nonprofit health care organizations sharing many common goals and challenges--hospitals, health insurers, nursing homes,

home care providers, and others. In addition, through education and other types of programs, the Alliance seeks to enhance the performance of nonprofit health care organizations in carrying out their unique roles and responsibilities


http://www.nonprofithealthcare.org/

[NJmaverick]

3. Thanks, I didn't realise there are already a considerable number of not for profit

if they are in the health insurance exchanges cost control issues are solved

http://www.nonprofithealthcare.org/resources/BasicFactsAndFigures-NonprofitHealthPlans9.9.08.pdf

[kestrel91316]

15. Aren't exchanges years down the road? We need the system improved NOW.

Actually, YESTERDAY.

[kenny blankenship]

4. You're going to need the govt. at some level to capitalize it.

Not a lot of interest on the part of equity investors in a not-for-profit business. Not a lot of interest on the part of venture capitalists, or bond issuers. We know the government doesn't have any issue with capitalizing private enterprises - it just recapitalized the entire banking industry which as we know are a proven bunch of thieves and scam artists.

What's the allergic aversion to having govt. do what it manifestly does better than private enterprise?

[NJmaverick]

6. There are ways it can be financed and their are wealthy individuals who could help

[mother earth]

5. I wondered about that myself a few weeks ago, it would be

the only way at this point to ensure no BS, a people-run insurance co., but then we'd still be dealing with out of control health care costs, but it were big enough and it probably could get there, there'd be incentive to cater to that group. It is certainly something to consider & I applaud you for bringing it up for discussion.

When one looks at the employee-owned corporations and their success, you are onto perhaps the best trend, and the best weapon of choice to combat the corrupt corporate influence our gov't has been bought by.

Edited for K & R

[NJmaverick]

7. Thanks, you're right about the employee owned (an aspect I didn't think of)

but that would certainly make it even better.

[optimator]

8. its easy to start one

you just need a couple hundred million dollars.

[NJmaverick]

21. Pocket change for Saros or Gates

[TheWebHead]

9. non profits aren't going to provide much savings

considering that the for profit sector's after tax margins are 4%...

[ljm2002]

11. Aren't non-profits, not taxed?

Therefore you have to look at before-tax margins.

Also, what about that 20% to 30% overhead of the for-profit insurers? Presumably a non-profit could cut that in half, for starters.

It seems like a good idea to me.

[NJmaverick]

16. You are correct

[TheWebHead]

18. so that money for profit insurers pay to the government shouldn't count?

you understand money is fungible, correct? even if you don't, you aren't going to save much when that 2 to 2.5% is added. As for overhead, everyone has overhead profit or not, paperwork w/ different providers, collecting premiums, customer service, fighting fraud, etc. There are multiple non profits in my state, and premiums are not distinguishable.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

12. In Minnesota, insurance companies that sell individual policies are non-profit

They still manage to sell lousy policies (identical policies for the same price) and have multimillionaire executives, though.

[NJmaverick]

14. It's not the execs it's the health care costs, and that is addressed in the HCR bill

[Thickasabrick]

10. It is my understanding that in the exchange, we will have the option

of buying from a not-for-profit insurance company....I think that was suppose to be a bone or something.

[NJmaverick]

13. That's a pretty meaty bone as it will prevent the for profits from price gouging

[Thickasabrick]

17. I'm really hopeful about it but I'm remaining skeptical until I see the

details.

[whistler162]

19. Yeah... and lets call it something like

orange cross and violet shield. Maybe blue would be better!

unrec for whining about unrec.

[NJmaverick]

20. always an excuse and never a good one

[mother earth]

22. You must have been raised by cretins, you've made an ass

of yourself for unrec'ing something worthy of discussion, what do you bring to the table?