[tracker1]

I've been sticking to a PPO insurance for similar reasons. First, it's the only way to handle some of my medical needs. Second, it seems to be the only way to get decent care overall. I've thought about adding the same type of general care doctor back into the mix, as I don't like the current setup.

I have to see my regular doctor and 3 different specialists every quarter year... so, my needs go beyond what out of pocket is reasonable, given insurance negotiated rates. That said, the whole system is a bit of a mess, and insurance and pharma are large parts of the problem to begin with.

I don't want socialized medicine, but wouldn't mind replacing medicare/aid, govt employee and veteran coverage with a non-profit govt backed insurance corporation that allows anyone to buy into that coverage as an option. At least something resembling a baseline to compete with.

[ejstronge]

What is ‘socialized medicine’ in your understanding? How does what you are proposing differ from ‘socialized medicine’?

[tracker1]

My suggestion is much less fascist/communist oriented. By socialized medicine, I mean fully socialized as in "the only option"... where medical establishments and corporations themselves are effectively govt run, not just regulated.

A state option for "insurance" that covers govt employees, but operates without a profit motive, while having the same negotiating standpoint of any general insurance provider is far different than what one would see in a fully socialized environment.

Edit: It's also from the PoV of continuing to offer coverage at all to those already covered by Federal spending, while avoiding increased costs. Basically better utilizing spend to expand competition, as opposed to limiting it.

[nequo]

Many countries have single payer healthcare systems and that has nothing to do with fascism or communism.

Healthcare is rife with asymmetric information by its nature. Doctors and nurses understand the medical services they offer much better than most patients. And privatizing insurance makes this worse. Now not only is the service itself opaque to patients but even the fees that they will need to pay for it.

But I also appreciate your point of view and it is good that PPO works decently well for you.