The healthcare third option: Health Insurance Co-Operatives

[Supermarioman]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Co-op

A cooperative (also co-operative; often referred to as a co-op) is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit.

Am I the only one who thinks this would be a excellent model for a health insurance system?

[EyeKhan]

Sounds like communism.

[GGT]

Am I the only one who thinks this would be a excellent model for a health insurance system?

That's how HMOs began. Now it's provider Networks and PPOs. Some insurers offer the Medical Home concept for member providers. The ACA included insurance exchanges that would operate somewhat like a co-op.

[Dreadnaught]

This came up in some newspapers last year. Based on the little I've read, I honestly don't see how it would be any different. Most health insurance companies have very thin margins and a few are non-profits already (Kaiser, BlueCross). Formally operating as a non-profit wouldn't really change the lousy economics of the industry.