Couldn't agree with your statement more Todd. Only gov't subsidized monopolies will do nothing to reduce the cost of healthcare, in fact it will have the exact opposite effect. Low reimbursment rates for Medicare and Medicaid add significant costs to the delivery of healthcare in this country, for all users.

Introducing gov't provided health insurance as "competition" to the marketplace is the complete antithesis of competition in the marketplace. Sure they may offer a lower premium but will not reimburse dollar for dollar. They will then institute price controls to control costs, reducing quality. That is not competition, that is central planning. Central planning models are proven failures the world over.

Real competition would be allowing insurance pools to sell policies across state lines. Want to really cut into the profits of insurance companies and piss them off? Then take away their gov't protected state monopolies.