I think this point is very valid, from the Argus Leader):
Increasing government's role in health care would interfere with natural market competition and reduce consumer choices, critics of the idea say. But by one measure, there's little competition now among health insurers.
Four health insurance companies dominate the country. And in most cities nationwide, one or two firms dominate, according to the American Antitrust Institute.
In Sioux Falls, Wellmark controlled 61 percent of the market in 2008, followed by Avera Health with 9 percent, according to an American Medical Association study. In Rapid City, Wellmark controlled 79 percent followed by Dakotacare with 9 percent.
The Obama administration contends that a proposed public insurance plan run by the federal government would force private insurers to compete on price and value.
"One of the things the insurance system lacks today is competition," White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said. "It doesn't exist."
The insurance industry counters that a government plan would have unfair competitive advantages and drive private insurers out of business, amounting to a government takeover of health care and fewer choices for patients.
Yes, there needs to be more and smaller entities competing, but Obamacare will force out of business the smaller companies and only the largest of insurers will be able to go head to head with the government, who has the ability to subsidize their program with printed money.
Senator Thune has it right:
Sen. John Thune, a Republican, slams a public option, calling it "the gateway to the government takeover of health care."
Yesterday I posted this:
OBAMA MARCH 2007 (normal speed): My commitment is to make sure that we've got universal health care for all Americans by the end of my first term as president. I would hope that we can set up a system that allows those who can go through their employer to access a federal system or a state pool of some sort, but I don't think we're going to be able to eliminate employer coverage immediately. There's going to be potentially some transition process. I can envision a decade out or 15 years out or 20 years out.
The Obama Chicago politicians are lying. Obamacare is not about more competition. It is about less competition and less freedoms of choice. Their aim is a governemnt monopoly. As I have discussed before, Medicare and Medicaid control the lion’s share of healthcare, and their reimbursements are so low that provider either not offer the service or shift the uncovered costs off to private insurers.
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