How Many Health Insurance Companies Nationwide?
Health insurance is a hot-button issue these days, and as Congress continues to debate about what the best course of action is for the future of United States health care, the insurance companies themselves are up in arms about the issue of a public option. There are approximately 28 major health insurance companies in the United States today, with big names like UnitedHealth, WellPoint, American Family Insurance, AARP, Aetna, Regence Group, etc. It is easy to debate how many major health insurance companies there are nationwide, because some operate heavily in certain regions.
Competition for Health Insurance Companies Nationwide
What most of these private insurance companies have in common is a distaste for the public option provision in the new health care reform bill. Health care is one of the most pressing issues facing President Obama’s administration, and even though he favors a public option for health care, there is some opposition in the private insurance industry and from employers who fear higher taxes. The reason these insurance companies are worried is because the entire purpose of a government-run health insurance program is to provide a less expensive alternative to their services.
What Does the Future Hold?
Needless to say, debate will continue to rage on what to do with the health care system. Most major insurance companies already claim to have razor-thin profit margins on the premiums they are getting, and the new health reform promises to make things even more challenging. One provision will prevent insurance companies from denying coverage to those with a “pre-existing condition” or drop coverage on someone who has fallen ill. While this bodes well for millions of Americans, the health insurance companies are rightly nervous about a system that would require them to raise premiums while the government is simultaneously offering a cheaper alternative. Only time will tell how the government and health insurance companies nationwide can reconcile this issue.
Related posts:
- How Does The Federal Government Help People Afford Health Insurance?
- What Are The Benefits Of Health Care Reform For Those Who Have Insurance?
- What Is Public Health Insurance?
- What is Single Payer Health Insurance?
- Can I Refuse To Buy Health Insurance Till I Can Afford It?
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