On Sun, 22 Oct 2000, petro wrote:
Of course, in the libertarian ideal universe someone not completely indigent who had a genetic condition that made them high risk might still be unable to get any kind of catastropic medical insurance and might be wiped out of virtually all assets by a serious illness, even one completely unrelated in any way to his genetic predisposition.
Nonsense.
It's not? Demonstrate where Libertarian or Anarchic ideals take care of this person even in principle? Explain how they're not turned away and left to die? And don't invoke the old 'somebody will take care of them' bullshit. Because it is clear today that many people don't get taken care of at all. Explain why moving to such a system will empower the mild of human kindness in these sad souls?
If Insurance companies were completely (or even greatly) deregulated, they could offer *seriously* ala-carte policies.
They could, but they're not stupid. In a un-regulated market the insurance companies will focus on profits alone and that unfortuantely (and much to the chagrin of the libertarian/anarchy crowd) means that there will actualy be LESS insurance available and it will exist at a higher cost.
They could easily write a policy that simply excluded--say breast cancer--from the policy of a woman who has a strong genetic predisposition to it, and *greatly reduce* the overall cost of her insurance for *all* other illnesses.
This can be done today legaly, the question is whether the newer more accurate technologies should be used. NOT wether such policies can be written.
Leaving her free to either (a) find a high risk policy *just* for that, or spend the money on getting a radical mastectomy to eliminate the problem. Or any of a dozen other issues.
Leving her free to die, that ungrateful irresponsible bitch (for getting cancer that is).
That's what Nathan "I'm a thoughtless whiner" and Sambo A. S. seem to miss, is that increased costs for a few mean *savings* for everyone else.
No, it means savings for the insurance company. It is clear that history shows that unregulated markets do not in general move to a minimum in costs and servicability. Hell, look at the aircraft industry for contrary evidence. And what you seem to miss is that your 'free market' theory is screwed for the simple reason that real life doesn't conform to free market theory without some major modifications (that happen to require at least light regulation). ____________________________________________________________________ He is able who thinks he is able. Buddha The Armadillo Group ,::////;::-. James Choate Austin, Tx /:'///// ``::>/|/ ravage@ssz.com www.ssz.com .', |||| `/( e\ 512-451-7087 -====~~mm-'`-```-mm --'- --------------------------------------------------------------------