Coverage is not care

Health insurance coverage is not the same as healthcare.

Health insurance is a risk-adjusted bet as to whether or not you will need to access the healthcare system:

• You're betting you'll need healthcare
• They're betting you won't

But the insurance companies hold all the cards. It's their job to make sure you get as little healthcare as possible. The less they spend on your health, the better. Insurance companies do NOT have your best interest (or your health) in mind. They're looking after their pocket books.

This is just one reason why focusing U.S. healthcare "reform" on insurance coverage is the wrong direction. It only ensures more business for the insurance companies.

Each of us will need access to healthcare at some point, with nearly 100% certainty. We're all human, we're all mortal. We all need medical attention from time to time, whether for illness, injury, or just health screening and maintenance. So why are insurance companies who are in business to make money the gatekeepers of healthcare?