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'group bargaining' is a giant lie in the united states. the idea that groups of insured people can bargain for cheaper healthcare. a complete fabrication.
my monthly insurance costs were cut by 75% when i dumped my corporate health insurance program and signed on to my wifes plan, where she makes far less than i do but the benefits are amazing. because its a government job.
and i work in the healthcare industry!
its all a giant fucking scam designed to rape the american people of money.
private insurance companies only profit when human beings suffer. how many other industries get to do that?!
Group bargaining works, it's just that people heard "we're going to use our position to lower consumer costs", but what they said was "we're going to use our position to lower costs". They have no motivation to pass those savings on, considering you probably get a plan partially subsidized by your employer so it's cheaper than what you can get alone, and you're legally obligated to buy insurance.
Look at what the government can essentially dictate as the procedure costs because they're big enough that their "accept our terms or don't see our patients" is a compelling threat, particularly when backed by the tax ramifications of saying no. They've got leverage and no particular profit motive, so they can tell a hospital "a surgery suite costs you $250 an hour, the surgeon $150, staff another $500, and material $100, with recovery costing another $250. We'll pay 80% and you can bill the patient the remaining $250. If they have gap insurance they'll pay and they can't dispute because we payed". And the hospitals invariably just accept it, rather than lose tax status and ~60% of their patients.
Defense contractors, daytime talk shows, and reality TV. ๐