Can anyone in the field explain why a 'Medical Care Union", similar to the Credit Union model would NOT work, especially in rural areas where profit margins are low and hiring new medical professionals is difficult to accomplish for a variety of reasons?
Credit Unions essentially put "profits" back into their members' pockets in the form of lower rates on loans etc. Same could be said for the Rural Electrical Co-ops (of which I've been a member of three), which in every case I know of provide electrical service equal to or better than the big for profit corporations (PG&E, ConEd, etc) for a lower rate. Substantially lower in the case of where I live now, lowest rates in California. And the best service I've seen when there is a problem.
I'd sure like to see an experimental Medical Care Union get started here, but that's not likely now that the local hospital made $2 million + this past year, and I think something near that the year before. We're getting a brand new facility too, being built as I type.
Maybe I should check to see who the owners of the local hospital are so I can invest in them. Unfortunately, that's hard to do on a retirement income. Or for the lower income folks in our service area, of which there are many.
Geno
