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> The “replacement” is the free market.

I agree (mostly).
Getting there takes A LOT of changes that need legislation. How will the Rs get there?
* Pharma patent reform?
* Tort reform?
* Nationwide/cross-state insurance sales?
* Simply repeal EVERY law/regulation that has anything to do with medical care/insurance. Do we let courts take care of things? Or also have tort reform and not hold medical professionals liable from either regulations or court. There are solutions. What do the Rs propose?
* Are they focusing on insurance or health care or EVERY business that will benefit from free market.

And “free market” alone won’t re-open rural hospitals or encourage doctors to move to rural areas or make doctors take medicare. Do the Rs say “FU” to people who have to drive 2+ hours to see a doctor? My dad often spends 6+ hours driving friends to/from a doctor for routine/minor issues. “FU” is going to need to be part of the solution for some people. Who are the Rs willing to say that to?

Do Rs want to increase medicare reimbursements? Or decrease costs for those doctors? (tort reform, reduce mandated paperwork, etc) Or allow nurses/non-doctors to do things that doctors have a monopoly on now? “Free market” says doctors should not have a monopoly on many things but there’s a big fight the Rs will have with the AMA.

And there’s lots of good the government can do (i.e. not free market). Give government-provided minimal medical training to people in poor neighborhoods or rural areas. And pay them to be a “medical-adviser” in the community. (see the adviser in 10 minutes before going to the hospital and taking 1/2 a day to find out it was a minor problem or wait until it’s major). Not really free market but can do a lot of good. There may be free market solutions like this. Hospitals may train/pay these people if we get rid of the AMA monopoly since it will reduce hospital visits/costs. Are Rs willing to get rid of monopolies and either pay or encourage hospitals to do this? What is the “minimal training” and what should these people be allowed to do? Minor prescriptions? Set simple fractures? Amputate legs? Pull teeth? And how can they be protected from law suits while be held responsible for abusing the system (taking money while making “medical mistakes” from negligence). Some regulation/costs can improve health care? Maybe this one is a stupid idea? Maybe there are smart ways the government can help.

So it’s not as simple as legislation that simply says “FREE MARKET RULES”. It at least has to say “FREE MARKET RULES. FU if that doesn’t work in your situation/community”. There’s also the minor problem of actually getting “free market” legislation passed. What’s the R’s plan?