Reasons FOR/AGAINST government insurance - FCC(ES)
Since we already have FCCES established, might as well use it for double the value!
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Since we already have FCCES established, might as well use it for double the value!
Comments
Nice! I have linked to it from the wiki.
how are promoting competition and stifling private market growth different?
I also don't fully follow this idea that public insurers can provide social benefits that private insurers can't. Like EI, major social impact but if a private insurer wanted to offer EI then it would have the same social benefits no? so to me the need for the gov's involvement is that it's a necessary product
I think point number 3 is more focused on the idea that competition can lead to more innovation, which usually occurs in a private market assuming there is more than one insurer for the product. Point 5 is stating that a public program prevents or slows the growth of the private market.
Regarding public insurers providing social benefits that private insurers can't, the idea is that a government program is able to provide access to necessary coverage that might not be profitable for private insurers. Taking your example, unemployment insurance is structured to provide broad coverage regardless of individual risk profiles, funded collectively through taxes or premiums. A private insurer offering EI would likely face adverse selection issues (where only those at high risk of unemployment purchase the coverage) and may charge unaffordable premiums or deny coverage to high-risk individuals. Government involvement ensures universal coverage, which a private insurer might not be able to sustain without support from the government anyway.
If we ignore that, and say that a private company IS able to provide EI, underwriting rules would likely be stricter (e.g. can't provide universal coverage) and insurer profit provisions would likely be higher.