Sunday, Nov. 1

October 27, AP Reports
I'm sure most of you are aware that health insurance companies have been just about every Democrats favorite whipping boy in the ongoing health care reform debate. Their profits are obscene and so on goes the rhetorical line out there and the companies are allegedly the cause of the explosion in health care costs in America. Well, a reporter at the AP went and did some checking and it turns out, according to the AP that across the health insurance industry profit margins are nowhere near the 25 percent some people claim.
"Health insurance profit margins typically run about 6 percent, give or take a point or two. That's anemic compared with other forms of insurance and a broad array of industries, even some beleaguered ones.
"Profits barely exceeded 2 percent of revenues in the latest annual measure. This partly explains why the credit ratings of some of the largest insurers were downgraded to negative from stable heading into this year, as investors were warned of a stagnant if not shrinking market for private plans...."
"Health insurers posted a 2.2 percent profit margin last year, placing them 35th on the Fortune 500 list of top industries. As is typical, other health sectors did much better - drugs and medical products and services were both in the top 10.
"The railroads brought in a 12.6 percent profit margin. Leading the list: network and other communications equipment, at 20.4 percent."

Comments
Here is a source for the idea that insurance companies make these 20% to 25% "profit margins:" by state regulatory laws, insurance companies are required to pay out / pay back a portion of the money they bring in. This is often around 20 - 25%. What that leaves is a clear guideline for how much of gathered money an "insurer" can use to conduct their TRUE business: just like a bank, they gather capital in order to invest this money and make money off of the money. The details about paying claims is just a side business. Profitability is based upon investment success. This is exactly what a bank does. Similarly, a bank has a rule regarding how much of gathered money the bank must hold back, versus loaning / investing. As an interstate-commerce-governed business, versus state-governed health care, a nation-wide hold-back can be regulated.**My point: most of us everyday Americans do not understand how these various components of the health care field work. And so we are generally unable to thoughtfully evaluate reform. Also, we are unable to decently think through the pros and cons of reform, versus socialism, even though we all suffer hassles and inefficiencies with government throughout our lives. Socialism is a naively over-simplistic answer to a very big problem. We will swap one problem for a worse problem. Auto insurance is basically working. Homeowner's insurance is basically working. A range of other forms of insurance is basically work. They are free-market endeavors with fairly firm govt. regulation / consumer protection. So, these tell us what COULD work. What doesn't work? The Post Office. FEMA. Your local DMV. Your state's child / adult protective services. Etc.
Posted by: MedsVsTherapy

So what will Helmeczi tell his grandson when his grandson asks him "what's freedom grandpa?" Of course, by then, when the progressives like Helmeczi get their Obamacare, and entire Obama policy programs, passed, they'll be sitting there waiting to die because they can't get a pacemaker or can't get their meds, or can't get much of anything. Or maybe, by then, they'll have been assisted on their way into the great beyond so that the progressives can collect the death tax before it can be given to his grandson.

Hey Katy We the People have seen the three braches of Republican leadership first hand.

The Republican Congress passed an $800 billion dollar medicare increase without ever paying for one dime of the program.

The Republican President George Bush forgot to enforce the laws agaisnt torturing prisoners.

The Republican judicial system was bought and paid for by Bush and Cheney and turned their backs on everyhting illegal the Bush administration perpetrated.

Please don't foegt Katy, Republican Bush costs this country a deficit of $1.2 trillion dollars and a dying economy.

I'm all for the three branches of government, as long as a Republican stay on the side lines and continue to watch.

NoObamaCare wrote:

October 27, AP Reports
I'm sure most of you are aware that health insurance companies have been just about every Democrats favorite whipping boy in the ongoing health care reform debate. Their profits are obscene and so on goes the rhetorical line out there and the companies are allegedly the cause of the explosion in health care costs in America. Well, a reporter at the AP went and did some checking and it turns out, according to the AP that across the health insurance industry profit margins are nowhere near the 25 percent some people claim.
"Health insurance profit margins typically run about 6 percent, give or take a point or two. That's anemic compared with other forms of insurance and a broad array of industries, even some beleaguered ones.
"Profits barely exceeded 2 percent of revenues in the latest annual measure. This partly explains why the credit ratings of some of the largest insurers were downgraded to negative from stable heading into this year, as investors were warned of a stagnant if not shrinking market for private plans...."
"Health insurers posted a 2.2 percent profit margin last year, placing them 35th on the Fortune 500 list of top industries. As is typical, other health sectors did much better - drugs and medical products and services were both in the top 10.
"The railroads brought in a 12.6 percent profit margin. Leading the list: network and other communications equipment, at 20.4 percent."
Comments
Here is a source for the idea that insurance companies make these 20% to 25% "profit margins:" by state regulatory laws, insurance companies are required to pay out / pay back a portion of the money they bring in. This is often around 20 - 25%. What that leaves is a clear guideline for how much of gathered money an "insurer" can use to conduct their TRUE business: just like a bank, they gather capital in order to invest this money and make money off of the money. The details about paying claims is just a side business. Profitability is based upon investment success. This is exactly what a bank does. Similarly, a bank has a rule regarding how much of gathered money the bank must hold back, versus loaning / investing. As an interstate-commerce-governed business, versus state-governed health care, a nation-wide hold-back can be regulated.**My point: most of us everyday Americans do not understand how these various components of the health care field work. And so we are generally unable to thoughtfully evaluate reform. Also, we are unable to decently think through the pros and cons of reform, versus socialism, even though we all suffer hassles and inefficiencies with government throughout our lives. Socialism is a naively over-simplistic answer to a very big problem. We will swap one problem for a worse problem. Auto insurance is basically working. Homeowner's insurance is basically working. A range of other forms of insurance is basically work. They are free-market endeavors with fairly firm govt. regulation / consumer protection. So, these tell us what COULD work. What doesn't work? The Post Office. FEMA. Your local DMV. Your state's child / adult protective services. Etc.
Posted by: MedsVsTherapy

Why didn't the last eight years of having a Republican in the White House work ?

Loss of life

$1.2 trillion dollar debt.

unemployment and job losses overseas

An $800 billion dollar unpaid medicare reform bill.

Republicans bring debt, death and destruction to "We the People".

James Madison wrote:

So what will Helmeczi tell his grandson when his grandson asks him "what's freedom grandpa?" Of course, by then, when the progressives like Helmeczi get their Obamacare, and entire Obama policy programs, passed, they'll be sitting there waiting to die because they can't get a pacemaker or can't get their meds, or can't get much of anything. Or maybe, by then, they'll have been assisted on their way into the great beyond so that the progressives can collect the death tax before it can be given to his grandson.

Freedom is being able to go out into public without being shot by a man upset over electing a black President. If your to stupid to teach your Grandchild about freedom, try Fox News and Glenn Beck he seems to have all the answers for the diddo heads in the Republican Party.

Repukes wrote:

Hey Katy We the People have seen the three braches of Republican leadership first hand.
The Republican Congress passed an $800 billion dollar medicare increase without ever paying for one dime of the program.
The Republican President George Bush forgot to enforce the laws agaisnt torturing prisoners.
The Republican judicial system was bought and paid for by Bush and Cheney and turned their backs on everyhting illegal the Bush administration perpetrated.
Please don't foegt Katy, Republican Bush costs this country a deficit of $1.2 trillion dollars and a dying economy.
I'm all for the three branches of government, as long as a Republican stay on the side lines and continue to watch.

Hitler and Lenin could not have said it any better...

Repukes wrote:

<quoted text>
Freedom is being able to go out into public without being shot by a man upset over electing a black President. If your to stupid to teach your Grandchild about freedom, try Fox News and Glenn Beck he seems to have all the answers for the diddo heads in the Republican Party.

But I don't have the right to keep what I earn, while weasel's like you rape and pillage working people to your hearts content?

Repuke....do you not work for a living????? You spend an awful lot of time writing on these cites..

Repukes wrote:

<quoted text>
Why didn't the last eight years of having a Republican in the White House work ?
Loss of life
$1.2 trillion dollar debt.
unemployment and job losses overseas
An $800 billion dollar unpaid medicare reform bill.
Republicans bring debt, death and destruction to "We the People".

So it's okay for your pal Obama to subvert the Constitution, to lie, yes lie about his health care proposals, to seek to destroy our economy in order to replace it with something that will look like something from a socialist country, that is with out calling it that. Many of us disagree with the things that happened during the Bush administration, but the past is the past ...let's move on. The problem is that this President is going the wrong direction.....just like you.

We need term limits for all branches of government. Limit the amount of money these people get to steal from "the people"

NoObamaCare wrote:

October 27, AP Reports
I'm sure most of you are aware that health insurance companies have been just about every Democrats favorite whipping boy in the ongoing health care reform debate. Their profits are obscene ... "Health insurers posted a 2.2 percent profit margin last year, placing them 35th on the Fortune 500 list of top industries.

Hey "NoObamaCare?"

How are you doing? Do you have health insurance yourself? When you speak of health insurance company profits being a mere 2.2% last year, are you also including their executive salaries, their advertisements, their contributions to both political parties, their "sweetheart deals" with "preferred providers" of health care throughout this "great country" where you and I are both priviledged to live?

I'm for no poltical party and I believe 90% of our politicians are functioning sociopaths; I am not yet sure about President Obama --- but his chosen field makes him a prime suspect.

Have a healthy life and may you be free from illness and any need for health care under the current system...

Mike Pelepko,
professional nurse - retired