# Trying to understand the basics of health insurance

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-understand-the-basics-of-health-insurance/671330>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [October 15, 2013, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-understand-the-basics-of-health-insurance/671330 "2013-10-15T18:17:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2013, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-understand-the-basics-of-health-insurance/671330/61 "2013-10-20T21:59:00Z")

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> [@Si\_Amigo](#):
>
> It’s also that most people have trouble understanding a paradigm shift in long standing practices such as healthcare. The analogies they cite are based on applying problems to the old system while not yet understanding (or not wanting to understand) how the new system is being set up to handle things like pre-existing conditions.

My problem with the ACA is that it’s not really paradigm shifting. It’s trying to combine an old paradigm with a new one. Single payer (IMHO) would have been a vastly superior choice.

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**Author:** ![bldysabba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@bldysabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bldysabba)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2013, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-understand-the-basics-of-health-insurance/671330/62 "2013-10-20T22:01:36Z")

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> [@Grim\_Render](#):
>
> What these examples sharply illustrate is how badly suited the insurance model is to healthcare delivery.
> 
> This particular problem is sometimes referred to as “the umbrella that melts in the rain” problem. The people most in need of healthcare are the least attractive customers.

Yes, I agree with that. I don’t think insurance is a good model for healthcare.

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**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-understand-the-basics-of-health-insurance/671330/63 "2013-10-21T00:57:24Z")

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> [@Nars\_Glinley](#):
>
> My problem with the ACA is that it’s not really paradigm shifting. It’s trying to combine an old paradigm with a new one. Single payer (IMHO) would have been a vastly superior choice.

It’s as good as it could get under the real world circumstances in which it was created; a bastardized solution. So yes, single player would have been the preferred shift but it didn’t happen so no crying from the left either please.

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**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2013, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trying-to-understand-the-basics-of-health-insurance/671330/64 "2013-10-21T01:29:03Z")

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> [@Si\_Amigo](#):
>
> It’s as good as it could get under the real world circumstances in which it was created; a bastardized solution. So yes, single player would have been the preferred shift but it didn’t happen so no crying from the left either please.

It’s my (Democratic) Party and I’ll cry if I want to.

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