Monday, November 23, 2009

Unintended healthcare consequences

All the pending healthcare reform proposals require those who can afford it to buy health insurance, and give free health insurance to those who can't afford it.

It's human nature to take more of what you get for free, and use up what you've pre paid.

"If a comprehensive health reform bill passes and extends coverage to millions of uninsured Americans, many are asking if there will be enough primary-care doctors to handle the increased demand for medical services. . . . the statewide health-insurance overhaul Massachusetts began phasing in in 2006 . . . provides a test-case example. It succeeded in lowering the state's uninsured rate to 2.7 percent, by far the lowest in the nation, but also exacerbated problems in areas that already had primary-care shortages."

http://www.miamiherald.com/living/health/story/1347244.html

Anyone who thinks a combination of free and mandated health insurance coverage for all will lower costs is crazy.

They will increase demand and shortages and therefore cost.

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