When profit is the ultimate goal of any endeavor -- as it is for all commercial ventures -- the last step that directly leads to profit becomes the main focus. Let's look at insurance, for example. With car insurance, the insurer takes in money in the form of premiums, and pays out money in the form of settlements. It is obviously to the insurer's advantage to limit settlements in order to maximize profits. But since most settlements are paid when drivers have accidents, the company's focus becomes reducing the number of accidents -- and this is accomplished by incentivizing drivers to take safety courses by giving them a discount, as well as penalizing them for traffic infractions. In other words, a carrot and a stick. So the desire to maximize profits for the insurer leads to safer driving on the part of the insured. Double win. Health insurance is different. Again, the insurer collects premiums, and pays out claims. Again, profits are maximized by limiting how muc...