The Biggest Enemy of Private Health Insurance? Insurance CEOs

I an very concerned about President Obama's clear desire to end private health insurance in favor of a comprehensive government-run health care system. This removes the profit motive entirely from medicine, and may lead to a brain-drain and a loss of the American lead in medicine and pharmacology. But it is hard to defend the current system amidst reports like this one.

A Texas nurse said she lost her coverage, after she was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer, for failing to disclose a visit to a dermatologist for acne.

The sister of an Illinois man who died of lymphoma said his policy was rescinded for the failure to report a possible aneurysm and gallstones that his physician noted in his chart but did not discuss with him.

....Late in the hearing, [Bart] Stupak, the committee chairman, put the executives on the spot. Stupak asked each of them whether he would at least commit his company to immediately stop rescissions except where they could show "intentional fraud."

The answer from all three executives: "No."

My father died of brain cancer, and I know that his insurance tried to drop him a few times. But luckily, they were unable to do so, so he got the best care possible.