If health insurance companies ran the postal service... (1 Viewer)

[Donc]

The only thing I can find missing is where to squeeze in a co-pay.

< If medical insurance companies ran postal services, citizens would pay a monthly premium to get mail delivery. The premium would vary by age, sex and region of the country.

To enhance competition, multiple health insurance companies would compete for mail delivery business. Some companies would provide service only to citizens in cities with populations over 2 million and would deliver only to comparable cities with populations exceeding 2 million.

To conserve costs, subscribers would be permitted to post mail only at selected in-network post offices.>

< People with preexisting high junk mail volume would pay a 300% surcharge.>


< It would cost $.42 to send a letter across town. Delivery to rural areas would cost $20. Delivery to another state would cost $40. However, the actual allowable charge paid to subcontractors would vary by company.>


If health insurance companies ran the postal service... | Midwest Voices

 

[CaptainCourtesy]

In order to get your mail, you would have to get authorization from someone who has nothing to do with the person sending you the letter. They could refuse permission to receive the letter because they want to save the money of having it sent.

 

[Wessexman]

Private industry did run US postal services, and I mean letters, they did it so well the state had to intervene to maintain its monopoly.

THE CHALLENGE TO THE U.S. POSTAL MONOPOLY, 1839-1851

 

[ALiberalModerate]

Private industry did run US postal services, and I mean letters, they did it so well the state had to intervene to maintain its monopoly.

THE CHALLENGE TO THE U.S. POSTAL MONOPOLY, 1839-1851

I can't say that I have any problem with how the postal service delivers letters for me now. If you want to use someone else, you can always send your letter via Fed Ex or UPS. They send them too, they just charge more to do so then the comparable service from the USPS.

 

[Wessexman]

I can't say that I have any problem with how the postal service delivers letters for me now. If you want to use someone else, you can always send your letter via Fed Ex or UPS. They send them too, they just charge more to do so then the comparable service from the USPS.

And? Is this a rebuttal of that essay's claims?

 

[ALiberalModerate]

And? Is this a rebuttal of that essay's claims?

How is what happened 150 years ago possibly relevant to the state of the postal service today? We may as well be comparing signal fires to the internet.

 

[Wessexman]

How is what happened 150 years ago possibly relevant to the state of the postal service today? We may as well be comparing signal fires to the internet.

It is relevant because it shows what the business was like before the gov't stepped in and imposed a monopoly. To randomly claim it can be done better by gov't as obvious fact starts to look a little dubious.

 

[Solidus]

I can't say that I have any problem with how the postal service delivers letters for me now. If you want to use someone else, you can always send your letter via Fed Ex or UPS. They send them too, they just charge more to do so then the comparable service from the USPS.

It bears noting that FedEx and UPS often charge more because they are required to by law. USPS isn't "bad" and was a vital government service, but it's not inherently better than it's modern competitors.

"These letters must either cost at least the greater of $3 or twice what First Class (or Priority) mail service would cost ...
It is possible to set up a private mail delivery service known as "lawful private carriage" if the USPS postage is paid in addition to any private postage fee that is collected." [1]

Additionally overseas mail often ends up being delivered by FedEx anyway.

"These services are offered to ship letters and packages to almost every country and territory on the globe. Ironically, the USPS provides much of this service by contracting with a private parcel service, FedEx." [2]

So as far as the OP is concerned, if private insurers ran the post office then it would look a lot like FedEx and UPS without government mandated markups.

[1] [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_Express_Statutes]Private Express Statutes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]
[2] [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USPS]United States Postal Service - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]

J

 

[Donc]

It bears noting that FedEx and UPS often charge more because they are required to by law. USPS isn't "bad" and was a vital government service, but it's not inherently better than it's modern competitors.

"These letters must either cost at least the greater of $3 or twice what First Class (or Priority) mail service would cost ...
It is possible to set up a private mail delivery service known as "lawful private carriage" if the USPS postage is paid in addition to any private postage fee that is collected." [1]

Additionally overseas mail often ends up being delivered by FedEx anyway.

"These services are offered to ship letters and packages to almost every country and territory on the globe. Ironically, the USPS provides much of this service by contracting with a private parcel service, FedEx." [2]

So as far as the OP is concerned, if private insurers ran the post office then it would look a lot like FedEx and UPS without government mandated markups.

[1] Private Express Statutes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
[2] United States Postal Service - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

J

Good, then the private insurance companies have nothing to fear by competing against Medicare then. :mrgreen: