[timmgirvan]

Originally Posted by Riot

You realize the above is exactly what exists now, in private healthcare? The private insurance carriers tell you what doctors and hospitals you can go to, they tell doctors what treatments they will pay for and which they will not (yes, they do dictate medical care to doctors in a way), they can refuse treatment for covered problems after they have agreed to cover it with no legal recourse of the patient (happened to me), and private insurance companies can and do refuse to pay for treatments, or continued treatments, such decisions having caused the deaths of people.

That is WHY healthcare reform and consumer protection is so important. Because what you fear is happening now.

You should know that private plans give the patients a hellova lot more options than HMO or Medicare!