been the reason the stock market, particularly stocks tied to healthcare took such a hit last week. The "evil," yes evil insurance companies (just like the tobacco companies) have been shaking in their boots for years, just dreading that this very thing might happen. I have said for years that this type of a solution would be the golden key to revolutionalize healthcare, only I thought it would come from a group of churches and philanthropists like the Bill Gates Foundation teaming up together to just do something good - something that ultimately benefits almost everyone (except the insurance and pharmaceutical companies), but is a net neutral for the churches and philanthropists. Why not, if you're indescribably wealthy, and your main goal is to leave your mark on the world.

I has always tried to tell people that one of best things that could happen to healthcare would be a completely transparent non-for-profit insurance to come in to the marketplace, eliminating the middle man that steals money from both the provider and consumer to the tune of billions, without providing any actual benefit to the system. Such a non-for-profit entity would put the insurance companies out of business in very short order - they just can't compete with that, and then they'd go elsewhere to make their buck, rather than siphoning it off of people's misfortune and ill health. Perhaps they'd go back to selling snake oil, used cars, or door-to-door junk or pyramid schemes, cause that's where the slime balls that currently run healthcare originated from in the first place, to the detriment of everyone.

The solution has never been a mystery as far as I'm concerned (although liability reform is also a HUGE piece). The main problem has always been just who was going to underwrite the up-front costs of such an insurance until the premiums start coming in fast and furious and fill the coffers to fund the program. Then, the more people that are on the roles as covered lives, the lower the premiums can be for all. And then the ability of that entity to negotiate with pharm companies, hospitals, etc to lower costs for their covered lives further adjusts the system back down to where it should be, rather than with prices as they currently are - in the stratosphere (Jupiter's stratosphere that is). There can still be plenty of competition within the system, with those docs and hospitals who do the best job out-competing those who don't do the best job for patients. Not that I fully trust Amazon, BH, and JPMC, but as long as it's fully transparent and non-for-profit as they claim it will be, this could be a landmark event of our lifetime. Something needs to happen before the current system drags the entire US into financial oblivion and 3rd world country status, or worse. People should be very hopeful about this news and latest development. As far as the insurance companies and other leaches off the system, although they may not openly acknowledge it, you can bet these entities are having VERY PANICKED discussions behind closed doors regarding how to sabotage the effort, or how to get out with their shirt exit strategies before it happens.