But it's supposed to be cheaper

[Raid]

It's simply untrue. The elderly -- who have the most costly conditions and long term problems by far -- are already covered. If you don't think insurance companies are chomping at the bit at a regulation that enforces the entire population -- save for the elderly -- to buy their products, you're truly out of your mind.

I agree. But lower premiums? No way. Just another market forced to buy their product. Gotta love that if one is an insurance company.

[ctc]

Will the CBO suffice?

http://tinyurl.com/ctewww6

Unfortunately the CBO wasn't selling the deal. But i'd be curious about the parameters they were asked to use in their analysis.

[ctc]

It's simply untrue. The elderly -- who have the most costly conditions and long term problems by far -- are already covered. If you don't think insurance companies are chomping at the bit at a regulation that enforces the entire population -- save for the elderly -- to buy their products, you're truly out of your mind.

No one is talking about seniors. The uninsured will still have their share of preexisting conditions that must be covered. Heretofore the insurance companies didn't have to cover those cases which enabled them to keep premiums lower. Now that they have to cover those situations those premiums will inevitably rise. In fact it's impossible for them not to rise to pay for those costs.

No one doubts the insurance companies excitement at the prospect. Given the requirement for people to own insurance the companies could care less what the costs are. Their entire business model is based on taking a spread between user and provider. They'll simply have more customers.

[eaglesnut]

Remember, everyone is rational and nobody has to use this particular market. It doesn't matter if the market is constructed by ebay, craigslist or the government (all of which have fee structures for postings or sales on their online markets), the market will work itself out.

Everyone is irrational is a more valid premise. It tests out every time because you don't have to make judgements on assumed rationality. Then we wouldn't have to distort reality to fit our models and could accept that reality is the model.

[eaglesnut]

Diseconomies of scale can't be ignored. There are many businesses simply too large to be run with great efficiently currently.

Economies of scale on crack.

[DonMan]

Everyone is irrational is a more valid premise. It tests out every time because you don't have to make judgements on assumed rationality. Then we wouldn't have to distort reality to fit our models and could accept that reality is the model.

Reminds me of a book I read once on how to be a consultant. One portion of the book was about "Robert's Rule of Reason: Don't be rational, be reasonable." The basic concept is that people use reason to make decisions. People who think they are "simply being rational" often times are being very unreasonable.

[eaglesnut]

Reminds me of a book I read once on how to be a consultant. One portion of the book was about "Robert's Rule of Reason: Don't be rational, be reasonable." The basic concept is that people use reason to make decisions. People who think they are "simply being rational" often times are being very unreasonable.

That is excellent. And right on my thought wave. Ultimately, rationality is an external condition.