Why in the world should *insurance* companies pay for pre-existing conditions?

[9ball8]

All I know is after these insurance goons have let so many people die in order to raise their profits, they should be forced to cover anyone with a pre-existing condition. It is ironic that it's mostly so called Christian conservatives in favor of letting people die because they are sick or poor, real ironic..

I am very much against this, as a leftist. No for-profit should be forced to accept clients with pre-existing conditions if that action can be shown to drive their business into bankruptcy. These companies should be forced to follow thru with their contractual obligations -to pay up when a client's provider makes a legitimate claim.
This issues of "pre-existing conditions" and excess expense for working class health care, must be handled by a non-profit model. Could be gov't, could be private non-profit, or a combination of the two. This means that the for-profit insurance sector would shrink substantially, supplying only catastrophic (for young & healthy) and products for the wealthy.

[garyd]

It won't make it a bit cheaper. It'll just camouflage the costs.

[Lulu]

We can only hope the private sector is allowed to continue coming up with creative ways to reduce costs. That's the biggest fear, that the government will simply outlaw any potential competition.

I don't know what is creative about raising premiums and deductibles, restricting drug formularies to generic first, and dropping patients who cost them too much. They already do this and they therefore, make huge profits, to the tune of CEOs getting millions in bonus each year.

One of the biggest issues in our healthcare system is the ridiculous and expensive lengths we go to for end of life care... which is picked up by Medicare. Again none of this was dealt with in the AHC nor was tort reform and frivolous lawsuits which cost us all money. The private system will always be there because a govt. system will never satisfy everyone - most people like me will pay more so that I get the meds I want and I get to see a specialist without going through my PCP.

[Freedom&Liberty]

All I know is after these insurance goons have let so many people die in order to raise their profits, they should be forced to cover anyone with a pre-existing condition. It is ironic that it's mostly so called Christian conservatives in favor of letting people die because they are sick or poor, real ironic..

Uh-huh. And when everything becomes single payer and government does exactly the same thing to save money, you'll be telling us it's the right thing to do.

[garyd]

One of the main reasons for increasing premium costs is incresing coverage for things like sex change operations and so called orphan diseases along with pre existing conditions. Another lesser known fact is the volatility in the stock market and the flatlining of the housing market.