The future of free-market health care
The great irony of Obama’s triumph, however, is that it can pave the way for Republicans to adopt a comprehensive, market-oriented healthcare agenda. The market-oriented prescription drug program in Medicare has controlled the growth of government health spending. Similarly, conservatives can use Obamacare’s important concession to the private sector — its establishment of subsidized insurance marketplaces — as a vehicle for broader entitlement reforms.
While most Americans view their healthcare system as “free-market,” Switzerland actually has the most market-oriented healthcare system in the West. It translates into universal coverage and low entitlement costs. Swiss government entities spent about 3.5 percent of gross domestic product on healthcare in 2010, compared to 8.5 percent in the United States. That’s a difference of more than $5 trillion over 10 years: real money, especially relative to our $16 trillion debt. …
Both Representative Paul Ryan’s “premium support” proposal for Medicare and Obamacare’s exchanges are modeled on the Swiss system. If premium support is a dastardly right-wing plot, despite its origins in Democratic circles, applying Obamacare’s exchanges to Medicare is even more so. After all, Obamacare’s subsidies only apply to those with incomes below four times the federal poverty level: $60,520 for a family of two. By contrast, Medicare subsidies apply to every American over age 65.
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Misleading headline. There is no future for free market healthcare.
The Rogue Tomato on February 21, 2013 at 4:25 PM
Free market health care does not need to worry about its future.
No future = no worries.
Difficultas_Est_Imperium on February 21, 2013 at 4:27 PM
what about black market health care?
ChunkyLover on February 21, 2013 at 4:36 PM
Free market health care comes next year when ObamaCare makes traditional health insurance too expensive (or too expensive to justify). Then, people will pay cash for health services, using ObamaCare as a sort of catastrophic coverage – paying for it if and only if catastrophe ensues.
besser tot als rot on February 21, 2013 at 4:38 PM
The future of market based healthcare will be cash for services which obviously will give the rich their own healthcare system. Concierge services.
astonerii on February 21, 2013 at 4:40 PM
That sounds just like my cloward pivon plan for it.
astonerii on February 21, 2013 at 4:41 PM
I hope this is the result…the chaos has already begun, and the “care” part hasn’t even kicked in, just the penalties. Oops, I mean taxes.
PattyJ on February 21, 2013 at 4:59 PM
Funny thing is, if you tell a doctor you’re not using a health plan and paying cash for services, the doctor’s office may very well negotiate a reduced price simply because of the amount of paperwork you’re saving them.
Rush Limbaugh actually talked about his own experience with this on his show. A couple years ago he was in the hospital during a vacation, with what appeared at first to be a heart attack but turned out to be nothing of the sort. Anyway, when the time came to pay the bill, he said he was paying cash as he did not carry insurance. (He obviously has the money!) The hospital billing office cut the bill nearly in half. And it’s not as if they didn’t think he could afford the full amount.
Insurance companies are already doing this anyway. My insurer pays my bills (after deductible), but they don’t pay what the rate sheet says. They pay what they negotiate with the providers.
CurtZHP on February 21, 2013 at 5:00 PM
You do know that paying cash for medical care is illegal once Obamacare is fully enacted? You will do as the Death Panel says. It doesn’t matter if you can pay for it or not.
txhsmom on February 21, 2013 at 5:13 PM
I pretty much doing it now – and actually, the doctors are more likely to give you lower cost options – and do things for free, especially doctors that you’ve been seeing for awhile. Although, when you walk into urgent care and they ask you for ID and an insurance card and you say “I don’t have insurance,” they look at you like you’re an alien.
besser tot als rot on February 21, 2013 at 5:20 PM
I don’t see how that can be possible if the “mandate” is a “tax” and not a “mandate.”
besser tot als rot on February 21, 2013 at 5:24 PM
It is not illegal to pay for healthcare with cash. But she might be saying that is the next step in the process…
astonerii on February 21, 2013 at 5:26 PM
I remember reading that cash payments are outlawed as part of Obamacare. Here’s a Fox article stating cash payments will be severely restricted. Of course, this assumes private health insurance still exists. Once that disappears, who knows?
txhsmom on February 21, 2013 at 5:47 PM
Not outlawed, just not something you get a tax break for. It is cool, I can still pay cash.
astonerii on February 21, 2013 at 6:54 PM
No one knows what is going to happen, isn’t it time to stop writing the bill and let American’s have at it to figure out their own choices?
Some companies might want to self insure instead of going to a big insurance company, there are many work arounds possible. AND when democrat voters see the rigid plans that the HHS Secretary has selected for them, some democrat congress members are going to have to introduce affordable individual plans and health savings accounts that people actually want. The Secretary working in secret has had her hearts delight of fanstasy plans, lets see some that really work.
Fleuries on February 21, 2013 at 7:06 PM
“OMG” on so many levels!
Did y’all see the “Support Prezident 0Commie’s Agenda” ad across the top? Paid for by the Dimrat Senatorial Campaign Committee. [facepalm]
Secondly, did you see the comments at the link for the Reuter-Rooter site? The LefTard/ProgTard/DimTards there just hayte business. I guess all the doctors, nurses, hospitals, pharmaceautical companies, etc. are all supposed to work for free, or at best, break even for their efforts.
America is a lost cause. I might as well move to Fwance.
FlatlanderByTheLake on February 21, 2013 at 8:22 PM