Could AIG be the answer to the health care crisis?

[grytpype]

Now that the federal government owns 80% of AIG, why not use AIG to offer reasonable health insurance to all Americans? AIG does offer health insurance, and the government is in charge now, right???? So the government can cause AIG to offer insurance at reasonable rates!

K&R if you agree!

[whistle]

1. It's a thought but if rePukes get to be in control of it then we get another

...nightmare for taxpayers and a piss-poor medical insurance plan

[sudopod]

2. This is brilliant!

We bought lemons, might as well make lemonade, lol.

[grytpype]

3. Hell, why not?

[sudopod]

4. They're the largest insurer in the country

They have all of the infrastructure in place to run a nationwide insurance program.

Someone convince me this is a bad idea.

[Dr.Phool]

8. So does Medicare.

And they can do it cheaper and more efficiently.

[Oregone]

11. Good point!

BTW, off topic...Im on the BC health plan. Its $108 a month for my entire family (subsidies for those who cannot afford it/mandatory). No pre-existing screening. No bullshit. Walk into any clinic/hospital/doctor in the province and you are good.

Extended coverage to cover what the government doesn't handle is also cheap as hell.

[sudopod]

16. This too. nt

[Oregone]

10. Well, their development thus far has been based on not actually honoring their claims

So you are going to take a company that doesn't honor its claims, doesn't allow pre-existing conditions, overcharges, doesn't provide complete coverage to everyone and think that it will function the same on such infrastructure if it offers affordable, fair, complete health coverage for all? Just saying.... :)

It actually might be easier to start from the ground up, in the government, with no profit. But what the hell are they going to do with it anyway at this point?

[sudopod]

14. heh heh, true that. nt

[yellowdogintexas]

22. well yeah but they would just be administering whatever plan the Gov't designs

which is the way Medicare is run anyway. They couldn't play AIG rules if the plan is dictated by the group.

Insurance companies can get away with a lot more on individual and small group plans they design themselves. But if a group is involved in designing the plan the rules are much more in favor of the group. Bigger the group the better.

[Oregone]

26. What I am saying is that AIG could be structurally bloated,

full of excess and crap, but thats all easily covered when you are fucking the common man every day, basing all your growth on that model.


If you stop screwing people, that bloat could bring that system down in a blink of an eye.

[MercutioATC]

5. Ummm, because AIG is still bankrupt?

Market cap is a little over $10B.

Break-up value is probably $45B-$50B.


We just paid $85B for it...and it's still gonna fail unless we pour more good money after bad. It can't deal with the obligations it already has.


Using AIG puts us in the hole from the start.

[BrklynLiberal]

6. damn. I just smacked my screen cause I thought there was a bug on it!!!!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[MercutioATC]

20. If it helps any, I do that from time to time too...

...and it's MY friggin' bug.

[BrklynLiberal]

23. ok. I don't feel so bad now... :D

[grytpype]

7. We loaned $85 billion for 80% of the company.

The company is still operating and has many profitable divisions that could be spun off.

Plus, the new product line of insurance for all Americans would be a cash center, they would have millions of subscribers.

[dysfunctional press]

17. our 80% probably doesn't include the profitable divisions...

knowing how the cheney administration is likely to have structured it taxpayers lose, businessGUYS walk away all the richer.

[MercutioATC]

18. Yes, we paid $85B for a company worth $50B...and it has a negative cash flow.

Spin off all the divisions you want. AIG is STILL not profitable.

[Oregone]

13. But can we use pieces of their desks as paperweights?

[MercutioATC]

19. They'd be expensive paperweights, but yes.

Considering we're going to take at least a $35B bath here, we should at least get paperweights.

[Barack_America]

9. Very interesting idea. nt

[evlbstrd]

12. No.

No more health insurance companies.
One of the charges the right uses is "Do you want a bureaucrat between you and your doctor?"
We already have it. AIG is one of them.
Universal health care now. Not insurance. Care.

[sudopod]

15. In most discussions it is assumed that

single payer healthcare run through the government IS universal healthcare.

The OP's point is that we now have an insurance company owned by the government with all of the trained workers, systems, and accouterments to do the job and become that provider of single payer care.

AIG is now, in effect, a division of the Treasury Department of the Federal Government. Just change it's mission statement and management and go.

[vanderBeth]

21. I really can't see that happening now in the state it is in

But brownie points for creativity.

[ColbertWatcher]

24. WHY THE HELL NOT! Bravo! grytpype! n/t

[philly_bob]

25. Worth investigating. Will fail with Repubs, but could work with Obama et al. n/t