Reply #54: I strongly agree with the thrust of the post that suggests that

[JDPriestly]

we simply cannot afford to keep private insurers among the options. They executive pay in health insurance companies is a huge problem. Here are a couple of examples

Here is some information from 2005 - Business Week

Name Company Total Value of Options (Latest Fiscal Year) Total Compensation (Latest Fiscal Year)
Larry C. Glasscock WellPoint Inc. $1.3 MILLION $46.2 MILLION

William W. McGuire UnitedHealth Group Inc.$806 MILLION $10 MILLION

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_14/b3927433_mz080.htm

These are a couple of examples. Not all these executives are this well paid, but even if the executives of other companies are receiving only half this much, it is too much of a burden on the public.

If you have single-payer, you save all the money paid for advertising and also for determining eligibility, etc.