Damn cheap in comparison. And I have great vets.

OK, Tom between my remembering how it was and your posts, you've damn near convinced me. I still think I have a solution to the whole thing and if I had a few hundred million, would get it started here and spread it fast.

It would be an HMO that isn't an HMO and has nothing to do with insurance. Has doctors and specialists and all equipment and a hospital and pharmacy and is entirely an enclosed system. Once an employer buys in for the employee or a person buys in for him or herself, the doctor determines the care from that point on at no cost to the consumer. The consumer has access to a medical board whose only function is to review his/her case when the consumer is at odds with the first doctor or when the doctor needs input from specialties. It would also include alternative health care, i.e. acupuncture. The doctors have $0 stake in any finances of any part of it. They draw a salary.

When the consumer enters the system, they sign an agreement: they can not sue. And the government stays out of it. The HMO that is not an HMO negotiates with the pharmaceutical companies for low prices. The doctor doesn't have to prescribe the 2nd best medicine because the first isn't on the list. They're all on the list and the doctor does what is best for the patient. In the long run, THAT is cheaper and insurance companies are too stupid with their bottom lines to know it. Patients see a doctor when they need to, not because the doctor needs to edge up his productivity. The Administrator does not draw a multi-million $ salary; he/she draws one equal to the doctors but that's it. The Administrator is there to keep things running smoothly, not to second-guess medical opinions.

You've taken out of the equation lawsuits, government, outrageous drug prices, and millionaire CEO's.

Of course, all of the above entities would be gunning for the developer.