Nope.
We’ve tried “just free market” and it gave us the single most expensive medical care on the entire planet, in which millions and millions cannot even get coverage because of set of circumstance such as the loss of a job, or a pre-existing condition.
That is WHY we got Obamacare in the first place. Because the last time we were in charge, we did nothing about these very real, vary large problems.
Nope. Medical care is critical to everyone.
It is expensive, it is critical, and the government needs to be involved to the extent that it assures everyone can be covered. I am not saying the government needs to provide coverage to everyone.
But the government needs to insure everyone can get coverage.
All Americans.
Period.
So you support slavery ... because the only way the government can cover everyone is to ENSLAVE people by taking from them AGAINST THEIR WILL the fruits of their labor.
Well stated.
There was very little that was “free market” in the “old system”.
It was already perverted by government interference.
When did we try “just free market?” That hasn’t existed in this country for fifty years or more.
Nonsense.
housing and food are critical too... and yet we don’t give everyone a free mansion and lobster.
basic emergency care should be provided to anyone regardless of their ability to pay (and it is and has been)
American healthcare costs are higher because of government interference with the market along with the prevalence of insurance which destroys the free market forces which would naturally keep prices down.
The single most expensive medical care is what we have now, where families cannot afford the premiums and even if they did they could not get by the deductibles unless they suddenly find themselves with cancer.
to claim the USA has any anything like a free-market in healthcare for the last 30 years is just a ridiculous statement. We have NOT tried the free market in a long time - and we move further from it every day.
Look — you have legitimate concerns ... but making insurance unaffordable for ordinary Americans just because a lot of people need expensive treatments doesn’t help anyone.
You know, my pickup has a hard time pulling my fifth wheel trailer. I really believe the government has a responsibility to make car manufacturers build a really powerful pick up in my price range.
Healthcare has never been free market since the 1960s. Since the federal government stuck its nose into it, healthcare costs have exploded.
and it gave us the single most expensive medical care on the entire planet, in which millions and millions cannot even get coverage because of set of circumstance such as the loss of a job, or a pre-existing condition.
Caused again, by government interference into the market, which is distorting the price.
Is this a DU thread?
Go back to the DNC you troll.
“We’ve tried “just free market” and it gave us the single most expensive medical care on the entire planet”
***********
There has NOT been a free market since government involvement began with everything from encouraging the coupling of insurance coverage with a job (FDR) to government regulations of the drug industry, insurance industry, medical devices, ad infinitum.
We got Obamacare in the first place BECAUSE of government interference in the free market. It screws everything up and government bureaucrats always think that they can “fix” what govt broke with MORE govt.
Look at every other commodity (and healthcare is a commodity, not a right). Whether it’s a phone, a TV or a car, the quality of, access to and cost of those things is inversely proportional to the degree of government involvement.
Here is an abbreviated review (9 minutes) by Milton Friedman of a few ways medical care has been negatively impacted by government involvement:
https://youtu.be/-6t-R3pWrRw
Here is his full discussion of the issues at the Mayo Clinic:
https://youtu.be/ss5PxPlnmFk
I think this was in the 80s and things have gotten exponentially worse as government involvement has increased.
This is observably false: before WWII, when job-supplied insurance became an incentive [because of wage-caps/-controls], you could go to the doctor for essentially any non-catastrophic issue and pay with money on hand.
What's really advanced the medical costs is removing the consumer from the direct cost -- because it's not 'their money' the customer is unlikely to say No, this is outrageous.
when the costs increase.
We did not try Free Market in medicine in modern times. Medicine has been overregulated since the 1930’s.
FOOD is critical to everyone, more than medicine, yet it largely free market, and it works. There is a SAFETY NET of things like Food Stamps for food, would be best if only states were involved in that, but that tail still does not wag the dog of our free market for food!
Medicine can work the came way. There are more impediments to the free market to be removed than meet the eye, though. You have to remove most of them to have the advantage of a free market. Removing a few does not fix the problem.
Just returning to the state level of control would permit better management of any appropriate government controls.
I urge you and everyone not to give up on the free market for medicine.
A free market is smarter than any tribunal of (violent) elitists who would end up in control if we do not free the free market.
Just when did we try a free market? You have merged two separate things you say everyone needs care and then you say everyone needs coverage. Are you speaking of healthcare and of health care insurance? If so, they are separate issues in the same way automobile insurance and car maintenance and repair are separate issues.
Healthcare need not be expensive and would be much cheaper and accessible without government meddling. Yes a free market would make care cheaper and affordable.
Insurance is something to be purchased to protect against financial disaster. Healthcare insurance is no different in form than any other kind of insurance. It too should be left free of government meddling.
So I conclude from your post that you’re in favor of single payer Medicare for all. The Bernie Plan.
Just come out and say it already.